Call in the cavalry: RA to rubber-stamp spring return for Skelton, Arnold
By Sam Phillips
The Wallabies want Will Skelton, Rory Arnold and Tolu Latu to join their squad on the spring tour and Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan has all but thrown the door open to the trio.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Rugby Australia to tweak the current eligibility criteria – which states overseas-based players are only eligible for Wallabies selection if they have played 60 Tests and seven years of Super Rugby – to allow coach Dave Rennie to make two exceptions to the rule in his match-day squad.
Rennie resisted the temptation last season – though he would have picked Arnold if he had not been injured – but has called upon Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon and Duncan Paia’aua this year.
Kerevi’s incredible form since returning to the Test arena has vindicated RA’s decision. It has also opened the governing body’s eyes to a proposal from the Wallabies to draft in European-based players for the upcoming matches against Japan, Scotland, England and Wales.
The Herald can reveal the Wallabies plan to call upon Skelton, Arnold and Latu, allowing a handful of players in the current squad to stay in Australia.
Most players haven’t seen their families since June and while they will be able to spend some time at home before flying to Japan late next month, they face another six weeks on the road as they won’t emerge from hotel quarantine until early December after returning to Australia.
