Latest news with #WALLABIES
The 42
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Big blow for Wallabies as out-half Lolesio ruled out of Lions series
THE WALLABIES HAVE been hit with a major injury blow ahead of their three-Test series against the Lions after out-half Noah Lolesio underwent surgery. The 25-year-old, who has been a key figure under Joe Schmidt, was carted off in a neck brace during last weekend's win over Fiji. Schmidt was initially positive about Lolesio's condition, describing it as an injury caused by 'whiplash' in contact, but Rugby Australia has issued an update today. Advertisement The statement confirms that Lolesio was discharged from hospital on Sunday following an initial assessment, but that he was readmitted for surgery this afternoon following further medical check-ups. Rugby Australia says Lolesio will make a full recovery but that he will 'spend a period of time away from the game' as he rehabilitates from surgery. That means Schmidt will have to make a big decision at out-half ahead of the opener against the Lions in Brisbane on 19 July. Western Force out-half Ben Donaldson came off the bench for Lolesio against Fiji, while Reds' playmaker Tom Lynagh was also part of the wider squad for that game. The Wallabies will name a new squad for the Lions series on Friday and it will be intriguing to see who Schmidt brings in at out-half. Some in the Australian media have suggested that Schmidt should recall a veteran out-half such as 35-year-old Bernard Foley or 37-year-old Quade Cooper, both of whom have been playing club rugby in Japan in recent years. 35-year-old James O'Connor recently played a part in the Crusaders' Super Rugby success. Schmidt has preferred to pick players from within the Australian Super Rugby teams up until this point, so the Waratahs' Tane Edmed could come into the mix.
The Advertiser
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
White goes out a winner as record crowd turn out for Wallabies in Newcastle
WALLABIES halfback Nic White owes Harry Wilson a beer. So do Hunter rugby fans. It took a last-minute try from the skipper to ensure home-town hero White was given a fond farewell in Newcastle as the Wallabies edged Fiji 21-18 in front of a record crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. White was on Wilson's heels when the No.8 twisted, then reached out and got the ball down under a stack of Fijian forwards. Many of White's family and friends were among the 28,132 that turned Turton Road into a sea of gold for the nippy's No.9's final Test on home soil. But it looked like White - and the supporters - would depart disappointed, with Fiji ahead 18-14 with two minutes remaining. "I was pretty relieved and stoked for Harry to get over," White said. "It was a nice moment. I said in the lead-up that I would be job focused and not too emotional. I was a little bit [emotional] at the end. It was great to get a result here at home." The Wallabies had tried - mainly unsuccessfully - to play an expansive game. With the result on the line and time almost up, they went to old school. From a lineout, they pounded away one-out at the Fiji line. Eventually, Wilson did enough, punching a hole through the defence and reaching out to score. Ben Donaldson converted to complete the great escape. The Wallabies had led 14-0 after 30 minutes and had two tries pulled back for forward passes. The win was the Wallabies' first in three Tests in Newcastle. They went down 9-6 to Scotland in atrocious conditions in front of 20,088 in 2012. In 2020, a full house of 11,749 - COVID restrictions halved the ground's capacity - were on hand for the 15-all draw with Argentina. White started at halfback against Argentina and was in the squad but didn't play against the Scots. The Scone borm Maitland Blacks product is not about to retire, but at 35, it was likely to be his last Test in Newcastle. "It was an awesome crowd," White said. "Fiji were unreal. They put us under pressure. We put ourselves under pressure. They are a good side and we had to find a way to win at the end. I'm proud that we found the resolve to get a result. "The crowd really helped us at the end. It really lifted and we needed it." White replaced Tate McDermott with 23 minutes to go for his 72nd Test cap. He kicked intelligently and drove the forwards around the park. "I'm happy for Nic," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said. "We got what we expected from him. He made a couple of cracking tackles. There were some big blokes coming down that left touchline and he did well. "He zinged the ball around. He put that ball [kick] into the corner. He didn't quite get the bounce but he saw the space. Those are the things Whitey does. He has a three dimensional eye on the game. You don't just get side-to-side. He is looking upfield, he is looking for opportunities." The Wallabies, playing their first Test of the season, let the ball sing from the opening whistle. Hooker David Porecki, playing his first Test in 652 days after Achilles and calf injuries, was given a ferocious welcome back courtesy of a thunderous hit from Fiji lock Isoa Nasilasila. Porecki dusted himself off and five minutes later he put the Wallabies ahead from a driving maul. Noah Lolesio added the extras for 7-0. Fiji's strength is their unpredictability but it means high-risk rugby. In the opening 20 minutes it also meant a lot of dropped passes. The Wallabies were also sloppy. They missed two lineouts, failed to find touch from a penalty and rarely strung more than five phases together. Porecki's Test was over in 27th minute after he suffered a head knock and failed the subsequent HIA. MORE HERALD SPORT The passes finally stuck for the Wallabies two minutes before the break. Lock Jeremy Williams put a dent in the line with a strong surge. The ball went quickly to the left for Joseph Suaalii to hold up a pass for Fraser McReight to slide over. However, the Wallabies undid the good work on the stroke of half-time. A Lolesio chip kick was easily collected by Fiji. They pushed the go button. Jiuta Wainiqolo made a bust down the left touchline, stepped inside and then lobbed a pass over the top for fullback Salesi Rayasi to power over for his first Test try and 14-5 at the break. Suaalii, bar the try assist, had limited opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. The message would have been loud and clear from Schmidt - play direct, hang on to the ball and build pressure. Fiji didn't change their approach. The Wallabies had a second try called back for a forward pass in the 48th minute after Max Jorgensen had regathered a kick ahead. It took the officials a handful of minutes and a dozen replays to make the call. Fiji cut the margin to 14-8 through a Caleb Muntz penalty in the 50th minute. Four minutes later they were ahead after a spectacular try to Lekima Tagitagivalu. Wainiqolo picked up a loose pass and went on a mazy run, beating five tackles in a 50-metre solo effort before offloading to Tagitagivalu. Munz converted from the sideline to put Fiji ahead 15-14. Fiji thought they had increased the lead in the 60th minute when replacement Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula stepped inside and dived over. However, the Wallabies were ruled to have put a foot into touch in the lead-up before Fiji forced a turnover. Lolesio was replaced with a concussion from whiplash when caught awkwardly making a tackle. The visitors were full of running and increased the gap to 18-14 through another Munz penalty. WALLABIES halfback Nic White owes Harry Wilson a beer. So do Hunter rugby fans. It took a last-minute try from the skipper to ensure home-town hero White was given a fond farewell in Newcastle as the Wallabies edged Fiji 21-18 in front of a record crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. White was on Wilson's heels when the No.8 twisted, then reached out and got the ball down under a stack of Fijian forwards. Many of White's family and friends were among the 28,132 that turned Turton Road into a sea of gold for the nippy's No.9's final Test on home soil. But it looked like White - and the supporters - would depart disappointed, with Fiji ahead 18-14 with two minutes remaining. "I was pretty relieved and stoked for Harry to get over," White said. "It was a nice moment. I said in the lead-up that I would be job focused and not too emotional. I was a little bit [emotional] at the end. It was great to get a result here at home." The Wallabies had tried - mainly unsuccessfully - to play an expansive game. With the result on the line and time almost up, they went to old school. From a lineout, they pounded away one-out at the Fiji line. Eventually, Wilson did enough, punching a hole through the defence and reaching out to score. Ben Donaldson converted to complete the great escape. The Wallabies had led 14-0 after 30 minutes and had two tries pulled back for forward passes. The win was the Wallabies' first in three Tests in Newcastle. They went down 9-6 to Scotland in atrocious conditions in front of 20,088 in 2012. In 2020, a full house of 11,749 - COVID restrictions halved the ground's capacity - were on hand for the 15-all draw with Argentina. White started at halfback against Argentina and was in the squad but didn't play against the Scots. The Scone borm Maitland Blacks product is not about to retire, but at 35, it was likely to be his last Test in Newcastle. "It was an awesome crowd," White said. "Fiji were unreal. They put us under pressure. We put ourselves under pressure. They are a good side and we had to find a way to win at the end. I'm proud that we found the resolve to get a result. "The crowd really helped us at the end. It really lifted and we needed it." White replaced Tate McDermott with 23 minutes to go for his 72nd Test cap. He kicked intelligently and drove the forwards around the park. "I'm happy for Nic," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said. "We got what we expected from him. He made a couple of cracking tackles. There were some big blokes coming down that left touchline and he did well. "He zinged the ball around. He put that ball [kick] into the corner. He didn't quite get the bounce but he saw the space. Those are the things Whitey does. He has a three dimensional eye on the game. You don't just get side-to-side. He is looking upfield, he is looking for opportunities." The Wallabies, playing their first Test of the season, let the ball sing from the opening whistle. Hooker David Porecki, playing his first Test in 652 days after Achilles and calf injuries, was given a ferocious welcome back courtesy of a thunderous hit from Fiji lock Isoa Nasilasila. Porecki dusted himself off and five minutes later he put the Wallabies ahead from a driving maul. Noah Lolesio added the extras for 7-0. Fiji's strength is their unpredictability but it means high-risk rugby. In the opening 20 minutes it also meant a lot of dropped passes. The Wallabies were also sloppy. They missed two lineouts, failed to find touch from a penalty and rarely strung more than five phases together. Porecki's Test was over in 27th minute after he suffered a head knock and failed the subsequent HIA. MORE HERALD SPORT The passes finally stuck for the Wallabies two minutes before the break. Lock Jeremy Williams put a dent in the line with a strong surge. The ball went quickly to the left for Joseph Suaalii to hold up a pass for Fraser McReight to slide over. However, the Wallabies undid the good work on the stroke of half-time. A Lolesio chip kick was easily collected by Fiji. They pushed the go button. Jiuta Wainiqolo made a bust down the left touchline, stepped inside and then lobbed a pass over the top for fullback Salesi Rayasi to power over for his first Test try and 14-5 at the break. Suaalii, bar the try assist, had limited opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. The message would have been loud and clear from Schmidt - play direct, hang on to the ball and build pressure. Fiji didn't change their approach. The Wallabies had a second try called back for a forward pass in the 48th minute after Max Jorgensen had regathered a kick ahead. It took the officials a handful of minutes and a dozen replays to make the call. Fiji cut the margin to 14-8 through a Caleb Muntz penalty in the 50th minute. Four minutes later they were ahead after a spectacular try to Lekima Tagitagivalu. Wainiqolo picked up a loose pass and went on a mazy run, beating five tackles in a 50-metre solo effort before offloading to Tagitagivalu. Munz converted from the sideline to put Fiji ahead 15-14. Fiji thought they had increased the lead in the 60th minute when replacement Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula stepped inside and dived over. However, the Wallabies were ruled to have put a foot into touch in the lead-up before Fiji forced a turnover. Lolesio was replaced with a concussion from whiplash when caught awkwardly making a tackle. The visitors were full of running and increased the gap to 18-14 through another Munz penalty. WALLABIES halfback Nic White owes Harry Wilson a beer. So do Hunter rugby fans. It took a last-minute try from the skipper to ensure home-town hero White was given a fond farewell in Newcastle as the Wallabies edged Fiji 21-18 in front of a record crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. White was on Wilson's heels when the No.8 twisted, then reached out and got the ball down under a stack of Fijian forwards. Many of White's family and friends were among the 28,132 that turned Turton Road into a sea of gold for the nippy's No.9's final Test on home soil. But it looked like White - and the supporters - would depart disappointed, with Fiji ahead 18-14 with two minutes remaining. "I was pretty relieved and stoked for Harry to get over," White said. "It was a nice moment. I said in the lead-up that I would be job focused and not too emotional. I was a little bit [emotional] at the end. It was great to get a result here at home." The Wallabies had tried - mainly unsuccessfully - to play an expansive game. With the result on the line and time almost up, they went to old school. From a lineout, they pounded away one-out at the Fiji line. Eventually, Wilson did enough, punching a hole through the defence and reaching out to score. Ben Donaldson converted to complete the great escape. The Wallabies had led 14-0 after 30 minutes and had two tries pulled back for forward passes. The win was the Wallabies' first in three Tests in Newcastle. They went down 9-6 to Scotland in atrocious conditions in front of 20,088 in 2012. In 2020, a full house of 11,749 - COVID restrictions halved the ground's capacity - were on hand for the 15-all draw with Argentina. White started at halfback against Argentina and was in the squad but didn't play against the Scots. The Scone borm Maitland Blacks product is not about to retire, but at 35, it was likely to be his last Test in Newcastle. "It was an awesome crowd," White said. "Fiji were unreal. They put us under pressure. We put ourselves under pressure. They are a good side and we had to find a way to win at the end. I'm proud that we found the resolve to get a result. "The crowd really helped us at the end. It really lifted and we needed it." White replaced Tate McDermott with 23 minutes to go for his 72nd Test cap. He kicked intelligently and drove the forwards around the park. "I'm happy for Nic," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said. "We got what we expected from him. He made a couple of cracking tackles. There were some big blokes coming down that left touchline and he did well. "He zinged the ball around. He put that ball [kick] into the corner. He didn't quite get the bounce but he saw the space. Those are the things Whitey does. He has a three dimensional eye on the game. You don't just get side-to-side. He is looking upfield, he is looking for opportunities." The Wallabies, playing their first Test of the season, let the ball sing from the opening whistle. Hooker David Porecki, playing his first Test in 652 days after Achilles and calf injuries, was given a ferocious welcome back courtesy of a thunderous hit from Fiji lock Isoa Nasilasila. Porecki dusted himself off and five minutes later he put the Wallabies ahead from a driving maul. Noah Lolesio added the extras for 7-0. Fiji's strength is their unpredictability but it means high-risk rugby. In the opening 20 minutes it also meant a lot of dropped passes. The Wallabies were also sloppy. They missed two lineouts, failed to find touch from a penalty and rarely strung more than five phases together. Porecki's Test was over in 27th minute after he suffered a head knock and failed the subsequent HIA. MORE HERALD SPORT The passes finally stuck for the Wallabies two minutes before the break. Lock Jeremy Williams put a dent in the line with a strong surge. The ball went quickly to the left for Joseph Suaalii to hold up a pass for Fraser McReight to slide over. However, the Wallabies undid the good work on the stroke of half-time. A Lolesio chip kick was easily collected by Fiji. They pushed the go button. Jiuta Wainiqolo made a bust down the left touchline, stepped inside and then lobbed a pass over the top for fullback Salesi Rayasi to power over for his first Test try and 14-5 at the break. Suaalii, bar the try assist, had limited opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. The message would have been loud and clear from Schmidt - play direct, hang on to the ball and build pressure. Fiji didn't change their approach. The Wallabies had a second try called back for a forward pass in the 48th minute after Max Jorgensen had regathered a kick ahead. It took the officials a handful of minutes and a dozen replays to make the call. Fiji cut the margin to 14-8 through a Caleb Muntz penalty in the 50th minute. Four minutes later they were ahead after a spectacular try to Lekima Tagitagivalu. Wainiqolo picked up a loose pass and went on a mazy run, beating five tackles in a 50-metre solo effort before offloading to Tagitagivalu. Munz converted from the sideline to put Fiji ahead 15-14. Fiji thought they had increased the lead in the 60th minute when replacement Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula stepped inside and dived over. However, the Wallabies were ruled to have put a foot into touch in the lead-up before Fiji forced a turnover. Lolesio was replaced with a concussion from whiplash when caught awkwardly making a tackle. The visitors were full of running and increased the gap to 18-14 through another Munz penalty. WALLABIES halfback Nic White owes Harry Wilson a beer. So do Hunter rugby fans. It took a last-minute try from the skipper to ensure home-town hero White was given a fond farewell in Newcastle as the Wallabies edged Fiji 21-18 in front of a record crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. White was on Wilson's heels when the No.8 twisted, then reached out and got the ball down under a stack of Fijian forwards. Many of White's family and friends were among the 28,132 that turned Turton Road into a sea of gold for the nippy's No.9's final Test on home soil. But it looked like White - and the supporters - would depart disappointed, with Fiji ahead 18-14 with two minutes remaining. "I was pretty relieved and stoked for Harry to get over," White said. "It was a nice moment. I said in the lead-up that I would be job focused and not too emotional. I was a little bit [emotional] at the end. It was great to get a result here at home." The Wallabies had tried - mainly unsuccessfully - to play an expansive game. With the result on the line and time almost up, they went to old school. From a lineout, they pounded away one-out at the Fiji line. Eventually, Wilson did enough, punching a hole through the defence and reaching out to score. Ben Donaldson converted to complete the great escape. The Wallabies had led 14-0 after 30 minutes and had two tries pulled back for forward passes. The win was the Wallabies' first in three Tests in Newcastle. They went down 9-6 to Scotland in atrocious conditions in front of 20,088 in 2012. In 2020, a full house of 11,749 - COVID restrictions halved the ground's capacity - were on hand for the 15-all draw with Argentina. White started at halfback against Argentina and was in the squad but didn't play against the Scots. The Scone borm Maitland Blacks product is not about to retire, but at 35, it was likely to be his last Test in Newcastle. "It was an awesome crowd," White said. "Fiji were unreal. They put us under pressure. We put ourselves under pressure. They are a good side and we had to find a way to win at the end. I'm proud that we found the resolve to get a result. "The crowd really helped us at the end. It really lifted and we needed it." White replaced Tate McDermott with 23 minutes to go for his 72nd Test cap. He kicked intelligently and drove the forwards around the park. "I'm happy for Nic," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said. "We got what we expected from him. He made a couple of cracking tackles. There were some big blokes coming down that left touchline and he did well. "He zinged the ball around. He put that ball [kick] into the corner. He didn't quite get the bounce but he saw the space. Those are the things Whitey does. He has a three dimensional eye on the game. You don't just get side-to-side. He is looking upfield, he is looking for opportunities." The Wallabies, playing their first Test of the season, let the ball sing from the opening whistle. Hooker David Porecki, playing his first Test in 652 days after Achilles and calf injuries, was given a ferocious welcome back courtesy of a thunderous hit from Fiji lock Isoa Nasilasila. Porecki dusted himself off and five minutes later he put the Wallabies ahead from a driving maul. Noah Lolesio added the extras for 7-0. Fiji's strength is their unpredictability but it means high-risk rugby. In the opening 20 minutes it also meant a lot of dropped passes. The Wallabies were also sloppy. They missed two lineouts, failed to find touch from a penalty and rarely strung more than five phases together. Porecki's Test was over in 27th minute after he suffered a head knock and failed the subsequent HIA. MORE HERALD SPORT The passes finally stuck for the Wallabies two minutes before the break. Lock Jeremy Williams put a dent in the line with a strong surge. The ball went quickly to the left for Joseph Suaalii to hold up a pass for Fraser McReight to slide over. However, the Wallabies undid the good work on the stroke of half-time. A Lolesio chip kick was easily collected by Fiji. They pushed the go button. Jiuta Wainiqolo made a bust down the left touchline, stepped inside and then lobbed a pass over the top for fullback Salesi Rayasi to power over for his first Test try and 14-5 at the break. Suaalii, bar the try assist, had limited opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. The message would have been loud and clear from Schmidt - play direct, hang on to the ball and build pressure. Fiji didn't change their approach. The Wallabies had a second try called back for a forward pass in the 48th minute after Max Jorgensen had regathered a kick ahead. It took the officials a handful of minutes and a dozen replays to make the call. Fiji cut the margin to 14-8 through a Caleb Muntz penalty in the 50th minute. Four minutes later they were ahead after a spectacular try to Lekima Tagitagivalu. Wainiqolo picked up a loose pass and went on a mazy run, beating five tackles in a 50-metre solo effort before offloading to Tagitagivalu. Munz converted from the sideline to put Fiji ahead 15-14. Fiji thought they had increased the lead in the 60th minute when replacement Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula stepped inside and dived over. However, the Wallabies were ruled to have put a foot into touch in the lead-up before Fiji forced a turnover. Lolesio was replaced with a concussion from whiplash when caught awkwardly making a tackle. The visitors were full of running and increased the gap to 18-14 through another Munz penalty.
