'He is a quiet leader. You don’t need someone who is remonstrating or saying a lot,' Joe Schmidt said of Fraser McReight, who also captained Australia's U20s in 2019.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt backed the country’s 91st Test captain as a man who leads by example, ahead of their second Rugby Championship match against the Springboks.
The Australians take on the Springboks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5.10pm) after the visitors secured a surprising 38–22 win at the South Africans’ Ellis Park fortress.
Flanker Fraser McReight made the most tackles on the day (21) and won the joint most turnovers (two). These, at the breakdown just metres from the Australian try line, stalled the Springbok attack and diminished their confidence.
He received the man of the match award, saying his team had to “come back and show grit” after facing a 22–5 deficit at the break. “We spoke about how us as Australians haven’t won here since 1963. We have a quiet confidence about us and we are building,” he said.
McReight a ‘quiet leader’
After naming his matchday 23, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said McReight’s selection as captain was an easy one after he played well while taking over the captaincy for Harry Wilson following the latter’s injury and substitution in the 64th minute.
“He is a quiet leader. You don’t need someone who is remonstrating or saying a lot,” Schmidt said of McReight, who also captained the Australian U20s in 2019. “We just need someone who is going to demonstrate the right performance on field that other people are going to follow. I think Fraser has demonstrated that.”
He said with Allan Alaalatoa, James Slipper, Harry Wilson and Liam Wright out injured, Fraser maintained leadership in the side.
“I wouldn’t say it was a process of elimination because that’s not fair to Fraser, but it was probably not ideal that he is a first-time captain for us. But he at least got a little bit of experience on the back end of the game when Harry went off.”
Wallabies select a debutant at Cape Town
Schmidt said Corey Toole, 25, who will make his debut starting at left wing, would be threatening, especially in the air.
“He’s a great young kid. He’s come in from the sevens programme and it’s something that a number of the South African speedsters have done as well,” the Wallabies coach said.
Toole’s inclusion was one of three changes to the starting side, with back-to-back John Eales medallist, Rob Valetini replacing Wilson at eight. Tom Robertson also starts at loosehead prop after centurion James Slipper’s HIA.
