Australia Coach Schmidt Responds to Lions' Player Release Demands

Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has responded to the British and Irish Lions' demand to release his stars to their Super Rugby franchises during the tour. Lions CEO Ben Calveley stated that all Wallabies should play for the Western Force, Reds, Waratahs, and Brumbies as part of the tour agreement. However, Schmidt plans to keep a core group of 25 players for the warm-up game against Fiji to prevent injuries.

Schmidt emphasized the challenge of managing player availability and mentioned that key players like Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Len Ikitau cannot play for both their franchise and country. He highlighted the need to balance player workload and avoid counterproductive scheduling.

Despite the Lions starting their campaign with a loss to Argentina, Schmidt questioned the expectation for all Wallabies to be available for every game. He also criticized the Lions for the number of overseas-born players in their squad, including Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu.

Meanwhile, Australian great Kurtley Beale reflected on his missed penalty during the 2013 Lions tour, expressing gratitude for his teammates' support. Beale, who will play for the Western Force, acknowledged the learning experience from that crucial moment in the series.

According to the source: RTE.ie.