Sydney University Football Club will have six current and former club players in the 36-man Wallabies squad for the Spring Tour of the Northern Hemisphere.
Hooker Folau Fainga’a, halfback Jake Gordon, prop Sam Talakai, lock Will Skelton, prop Tom Robertson and No.10 Bernard Foley have been selected in the squad that will start their five-week tour with a Test against Scotland on October 30 and follow up with Tests against France, Italy, Ireland and Wales. With lock Matt Philip, ruled out of the tour on Wednesday following a ruptured ACL.
Skelton, now one of the best locks in world rugby, and Foley, who has been playing his trade in Japan, have been welcome returnees into Wallaby jerseys. Skelton played for La Rochelle in the tough French Top 14 competition, while Foley played for Kubota Spears in the Japan League.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will use the tour to hone a side for next year’s World Cup.
“We have a massive opportunity over the next five matches to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world and string together some performances that our supporters are proud of back home, he says.
“The advantage of playing five Tests, as opposed to three is we just have to get as much footy into these young men as possible. Five Tests now, five leading into the World Cup is 10, and then that will take out boys to around 30 Tests by the time we kick off at the World Cup. We reckon that’s going to be really important.”
