Lynagh cleared of concussion and in the frame to face Pumas in Sydney

Wallabies five-eighth Tom Lynagh remains in contention to play Argentina on Saturday at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Sydney as he is monitored for a tight hamstring suffered in the win over the Pumas in Townsville.

On Monday, Lynagh was cleared of concussion by Wallabies medical staff, despite failing his first head injury assessment in Townsville. Lynagh passed his two subsequent HIAs after the game.

Centre Len Ikitau is confident that whoever slots in for the Wallabies at five-eighth on Saturday will deliver, whether they are a rookie or a veteran playmaker.

“I don’t think anything changes for us,” Ikitau said. “The team that [coach] Joe [Schmidt] picks has a job to do. Their [the five-eighth’s] job is to lead the boys around.

“For me, it’s being able to help. If it’s Tommy [Lynagh] or if it’s Tane [Edmed], then it’s just being that person to guide the younger boys around. If it’s James O’Connor, then I guess I’ve just got to listen to him.”

O’Connor was originally meant to move to Leicester after Saturday’s game in Sydney, but Ikitau is hoping that he can persuade his teammate to stay at least until the end of The Rugby Championship, with the added lure of bringing the Bledisloe Cup to Australia for the first time in 23 years.

“Having Rabs [O’Connor] has been awesome; it’s kind of like QC [Quade Cooper] when he came in during 2021,” Ikitau said.

“Just that older head that knows a lot, brings a lot of experience into the group. He’s been awesome for us, especially over the last couple of weeks.

“I sent him a message and told him that he’s leaving when I’m leaving [Ikitau will move to the UK to play for Exeter after The Rugby Championship on a sabbatical]. I think we’ll sort that out soon.”

Ikitau has started 21 games for the Brumbies and the Wallabies this year, averaging 71 minutes. The centre was walking slightly gingerly on Monday after a physical encounter against the Pumas in Townsville, but says he is feeling good ahead of Saturday’s return fixture.

“The body’s good ... I think what’s important for me is just the recovery side, we nail our recovery throughout the week,” he said.

Ikitau delivered the decisive pass for Angus Bell to score the match-winning try in Townsville, with the prop relieved to get over the line after 85 gruelling minutes.

“There was a lot of space there to start with, and then it closed up with all the Argentinian fellas trying to stop the bleeding, and we got a few penalties around their line,” Bell said.

“Then Lenny [Ikitau] does what he does best and gives me a no-look pass, which I guess attracted a lot more defenders than it should have, and I was able just to flop over.”

Bell described the current Wallabies set-up as “probably the best environment” he has been involved in since making his Test debut five years ago at age 19.

The prop understands that despite the late win there will be a brutal training week in Sydney ahead to iron out uncharacteristic discipline and defensive lapses that plagued the first half in Townsville.

When asked what makes the current Wallabies’ environment so special, Bell pointed directly to the unflinching honesty of Schmidt and his coaching staff.

“If I had to put it down to one word, I think it’s just honesty with feedback, honesty as a group in reflection of where we are,” Bell said.

“A year and a half ago, two years ago, we weren’t where we needed to be as a team, both collectively and individually.

“That honesty piece is huge for us because we just try and get better and better. We know where we stand and where we need to get better because we aren’t a finished product yet. We know how much more growth we have in us as a team and individually.”

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