How three of Eddie's discards became pillars in Schmidt's Wallabies revival

Even the folks running the Viking Park canteen struggled to wrap their head around the sight of Len Ikitau resting on the fence at a club rugby game. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue The Wallabies were in the midst of their worst World Cup campaign in history, and Eddie Jones had left this guy behind. Forget the injury, that was going to heal.

Plenty had wondered the same about Tom Wright, whose Wests Lions socks were still hanging on the line after a John I Dent Cup game. At least Noah Lolesio was nearby after striking a joker deal with Toulon, but he certainly wasn't wearing Wallaby gold. Fast forward 12 months and this ACT Brumbies trio - coupled with two-time John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini - are driving a Wallabies revival as Australia chases its first spring tour Grand Slam in 40 years.



Jones' second reign as Wallabies coach was an unmitigated disaster. Bizarre selections - which included just five Brumbies despite their extended run as the country's best Super Rugby team - in a smash and grab mission backfired, and he was interviewing for the Japan job while the team he held a five-year contract to lead collapsed on the world stage. But under Joe Schmidt, the Wallabies - with Lolesio, Ikitau and Wright all playing key roles in the back line - head to Murrayfield in search of a feat no Australian side has pulled off in decades.

Forget the all-star teams of the 1990s and early 2000s for a moment. Those sides - also led by Brumbies icons like George Smith, George Gregan and Stephen Larkham - were winning World Cups and Bledisloe Cups (yes, there was a time Australia lifted that trophy). But even this feat eluded them.

But how did these discards get here? Lolesio broke the shackles in Toulon, fired for the Brumbies and is slowly burying talk he can't deliver at Test level - though even he knows how quickly the knife can turn. Noah Lolesio is part of a Brumbies contingent driving the Wallabies to success. Picture Rugby Australia Ikitau's match-winning effort against England earned him the nickname "Flickitau".

Whether he wears 13 or shifts to No.12 to accommodate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Brumbies coach Larkham says Ikitau is "world class" . Wright, like Lolesio, hasn't always fired at the highest level.

But Larkham says the 27-year-old should be talked about among the best fullbacks in the world following a career-best Super Rugby season and a stellar run of form for the Wallabies . Super Rugby form hasn't always translated to Test success. Lolesio and Wright are cases in point.

So too ex-Brumbies fullback Tom Banks. Maybe the form of Lolesio, Ikitau and Wright can be traced back to Jones. It could be Larkham redefining the Brumbies' attacking philosophy or Schmidt's investment in the trio.

The Wallabies are on course to emulate the 1984 Australia team if they can complete a spring tour sweep after starting with wins over England and Wales. But the toughest tests of Australia's Grand Slam bid are still to come as the Wallabies prepare to face Scotland and Ireland. Len Ikitau and Noah Lolesio starred for the Brumbies this year.

Picture by Elesa Kurtz "We've won two games, and that's where our head's at at the moment," Lolesio said. "All of our focus and energy will just be to Scotland this [Monday]." Opposing Lolesio at Murrayfield with be mercurial Scottish flyhalf Finn Russell.

The 32-year-old once cheekily likened himself to rugby's version of soccer superstar Lionel Messi - although he would later grin the only similarity between the pair is the number on their back. Russell is one of the highest-paid players in world rugby, with the maverick commanding a reported $1.95 million salary at Bath.

But as far as head-to-head battles go, with Lolesio taking on the unpredictable playmaker and Len Ikitau to collide with Melbourne-born Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu, the Wallabies are more concerned about their own backyard. "As a flyhalf, I respect his game a lot. He can do it all; he can run, pass, find space in the backfield," Lolesio said.

Tom Wright is in career-best form. Picture by Keegan Carroll "At the same time, I've got a job to do. Even though it is awesome [facing] players like Finn Russell, I'll be doing all I can to put the bets foot forward, what the team needs me to do.

I'm just focusing on what I need to do for the team to get the team rolling, playing the right ends of the field and lead the boys around well." About that form. Maybe these Brumbies stars are confident about impressing in the Scottish freeze because it's no so different to home.

"Canberra gets pretty cold as well," Lolesio grinned. "I'm used to it, it's just cold, hey." Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Caden Helmers Sports Writer Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.

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