From Wallabies to club rugby – and back again: The crazy season of Tane Edmed

Like most players who get dropped, Tane Edmed had good reason to kick stones and wonder about his future when he was left out of the Waratahs team for several weeks in April this year.

But, unlike most people, Edmed also had some decent reasons to stay positive. He had the Wallabies coach ringing him with support and guidance, and around the same time the 24-year-old playmaker also had the coach of Australia’s best Super Rugby side trying to recruit him. Who just happens to be one of the Wallabies’ greatest five-eighths, Stephen Larkham.

So, swings and roundabouts.

Five months on, and after Edmed agreed to that move to the Brumbies, the red head’s positivity was justified with selection in the Wallabies squad to tour South Africa.

As forecast, Edmed was called up to replace Tom Lynagh, who will miss the opening two games of The Rugby Championship with concussion. Veteran James O’Connor was also named as one of three playmakers after delaying his plans to move to Leicester.

Changing plans was a theme of the 35-man squad named by coach Joe Schmidt, with powerhouse lock Will Skelton shelving plans to return to France to stay with the Wallabies and halfback Nic White delaying his international retirement due to a hamstring injury to Jake Gordon.

Though powerhouse back-rower Rob Valetini was a crucial name on the squad list – after missing two of the three Lions Tests – the inclusion of Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou demonstrated a shift from plans to move away from overseas-bound players in TRC. Given Allan Alaalatoa’s injury, Tupou was named, but he is in doubt for the first Test at Ellis Park on August 17 due to a toe injury.

Other notable inclusions were Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, after dominant form in three Lions tour games, and former All Blacks loose-head prop Aidan Ross.

But even in a newsworthy squad full of stories, Edmed’s recall stood out after the 24-year-old started the year as an incumbent Wallaby – following a three-minute Test debut in November – and as NSW’s starting No.10, but later fell out of favour behind Lawson Creighton and Jack Bowen at the Waratahs. Edmed was benched and dropped back to Eastwood for a month.

“I won’t lie, it’s been emotionally tough at times,” Edmed said. “Obviously, the Waratahs are a team that I care a lot about and have worked extremely hard to be in that position.

“But I think as I’ve said before, it was positive for me in a way to have a different perspective on rugby and take away things that are really positive in my life.”

Edmed said he’d never lost confidence, however, given Schmidt was often in touch offering advice and letting him know he was still in his Wallabies’ plans, and with Larkham also pumping up his tyres while pitching a future at the Brumbies to replace Noah Lolesio.

“Obviously, Bernie is a legend of Australian rugby and a great player, so to have interest from the Brumbies was definitely something that kept me positive during those times,” he said.

“He just instilled a lot of belief in me, and he thinks that he can make me a better player. And that’s kind of all you need to hear.”

Edmed finished the season back in the NSW team, but later accepted a two-year deal with the Brumbies. And after being named in the Wallabies squad for training ahead of the Lions tour, Edmed then started for the AUNZ XV against the Lions in Adelaide and earned praise from former All Blacks coach Ian Foster and some of the Kiwi stars.

Edmed was beaten to a spot in the Wallabies’ Lions squad by O’Connor, but the Adelaide trip provided even more self-belief.

“I chewed his [Foster’s] ear off all week. The boys were kind of taking the piss out of me a little bit,” Edmed said. “But I tried to learn as much as I could from him and the other boys in the squad. It was obviously the result wasn’t what we were looking for, but it was an unreal week. It’s obviously like that’s the only way to get better is to kind of play that level.”

Edmed said despite his rollercoaster year, he is ready to play in the intimidating atmosphere of Ellis Park against the world champions if called upon.

“I definitely think I’m ready,” he said. “I definitely thought there was a chance. I’ve been in close contact with Joe and the coaches, and they’ve always said stay ready. Despite the Super [Rugby] comp probably not going the way I would have liked, I always felt like there was a chance. You can never count yourself out.”

Wallabies bring power to beat Boks with Valetini, Skelton named in squad

The Wallabies’ hopes of beating the Springboks at altitude for the first time in 15 years have been boosted by the inclusion of power forwards Rob Valetini and Will Skelton in the tour squad to fly to South Africa on Saturday.

Life after the Lions will begin in earnest for the Wallabies on Friday when they gather in Sydney ahead of a journey to Johannesburg the next day, for the first of their opening two matches of The Rugby Championship.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt named a 35-player squad on Thursday and, crucially given their impact during the recent Lions series, Valetini was included on the list despite missing the third Lions Test with a calf injury, and Skelton was confirmed as having agreed to remain with the Wallabies instead of returning to France.

Skelton is poised to play his first Rugby Championship fixtures in a non-World Cup year since 2016, and his size and strength will be vital if the Wallabies are to take down the Springboks at Ellis Park on August 17.

The last time the Wallabies beat the Boks at high altitude was in Bloemfontein in 2010.

Taniela Tupou was also named in the squad, despite being in doubt for the first Test with a toe injury.

Power is the name of the game for Schmidt, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto also finally recalled to the squad after his dominant form against the Lions in three tour fixtures for Queensland, the AUNZ Invitational XV and the First Nations and Pasifika side, but failing to get a call-up for the Test series. The big Reds lock has replaced Josh Canham.

Elsewhere, the selection of Tane Edmed to replace Tom Lynagh (concussion) was confirmed as well, but in another interesting twist, James O’Connor was also named in the group, though his original plan had been to join Leicester immediately after the Lions series.

There was no shortage of altered plans in the Wallabies squad, in fact, with Nic White delaying his international retirement to go on the tour, due to a hamstring injury to Jake Gordon, which ruled the halfback out of the trip.

Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan was named in his first full Wallabies squad after a long time waiting his turn, and could make a Test debut in South Africa.

Up front, another former All Black could make a Test debut with loose-head prop Aidan Ross named in the squad. Ross, who played one Test for New Zealand, finished with the Chiefs in the Super Rugby in June and moved to the Queensland Reds, where he played against the Lions.

Ross’ inclusion indicates the Wallabies may ask two-side props James Slipper and Tom Robertson to cover for Tupou if he is not fit.

Schmidt has also adjusted his plans, with the selections of Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper and Tupou. The trio is all headed overseas at the end of the year, and the early plan of Schmidt was not to consider them for The Rugby Championship and instead favour players who are staying in Australia. But all three are in excellent form, and moreover, are needed by the Wallabies given the shallow depth in their positions.

Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Josh Nasser were added to the squad officially, after both flew in late to Sydney following injuries to Matt Faessler and Dave Porecki. The latter subsequently announced his retirement.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said in a statement: “It’s pleasing to be able to keep the core of the group together, while also leaning on some depth and fresh bodies. We’re very conscious of how difficult it is going to be, playing South Africa on their home turf over two consecutive weekends.

“The group has made some positive steps throughout the start of the Test season, but we all know there is a lot of hard work ahead of us.”