The mature-age Wallabies rookie who could be rugby’s Adam Gilchrist

1 week ago 6

There was a time when another comeback from the twice-retired Nic White might have sent a shiver down the spine of Ryan Lonergan.

Having waited for five years behind a bolted-on Wallabies halfback trio of Jake Gordon, Tate McDermott, and White, Lonergan finally got his Test debut against the All Blacks on Saturday.

The very next day came the news White, who “retired” after the Lions series, was re-enlisted and then departed again after the Springboks and Pumas games, is once more coming out of retirement to train with the Wallabies in Perth this week.

This time, however, there is no concern about Lonergan losing his Wallabies spot, with White back only to provide training cover behind the Brumby No.9 and Jake Gordon following a hamstring tear for McDermott at Eden Park that is set to sideline the Queenslander for an extended stretch.

It was McDermott’s injury in the 17th minute that finally ended one of the longest waits in Australian rugby, Lonergan becoming Wallaby No.992 at the ripe old age of 27.

After debuting for the Brumbies in 2017, the Canberra native routinely impressed and was first called into a Wallabies squad in 2021, soon after his brother, Lachlan Lonergan, had made his Test debut at hooker. Ryan was a semi-regular squad member thereafter, but as 47 players went on to make their Test debuts for Australia over the next four years, Lonergan was not one of them.

Australia’s Ryan Lonergan kicks the ball as New Zealand’s Fabian Holland attempts to charge it.

“Even this year, I’ve been in and out of squads here and there. It’s been tough. You have your bad days and have a sook, and then you just get on with it. No one’s going to like you if you’re going to be walking around sooking,” Lonergan said.

“I’m very proud, looking back, how I sort of stuck with it and just tried to continue to grow my game, really.

“I knew the time would come, and people would keep telling me. Finally did get it. It’s super-special for, like I said, me and my family.”

In a statistical twist, it was worked out Lonergan was the 150th player to debut for the Wallabies since his Brumbies teammate James Slipper debuted in 2010 – and it happened in Slipper’s 150th Test.

Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan at Eden Park on Saturday.

Lachlan, who won eight caps in 2021 and 2022, was at Eden Park amid a squadron of Lonergan’s family and friends, and Ryan hopes they can one day play Test rugby together. The last brothers to play together for the Wallabies were Ant and Saia Faingaa.

Lonergan’s Wallabies debut was a just reward given he has turned down numerous overseas offers in the pursuit of playing for his country.

“It was always the goal. I probably wouldn’t have felt right leaving after all the hard work I’ve done,” Lonergan said. “Maybe the longer I had to wait for it, the less I wanted to leave. You know what I mean? I was working hard for it. It was always the goal. I just got on with it.”

He was thrown in the deep end of Test rugby against the All Blacks at Eden Park, but, seasoned by 93 Super Rugby games and five Australia A caps, Lonergan looked at home.

“I think it did (help), definitely. I’ve played a few games here (at Eden Park) as well. I did feel quite comfortable out there, even though there were a few errors out there,” he said.

“I probably was a little bit surprised, as it just (felt like) another game of rugby. The Super Rugby experience was really quality for me.”

Lonergan’s composure and maturity was so evident it brought to mind Adam Gilchrist debuting for the Australian Test team at 27 – and then going on to be a star player for almost 100 Tests.

He won’t get to 100 Tests, but Lonergan has the potential to do something similar and play a key role in the Rugby World Cup in 2027. McDermott and Lonergan are both 27, and Gordon, likely to return against the All Blacks, is 32.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies on Sunday confirmed Will Skelton and Rob Valetini will re-join the squad for the second Bledisloe Test in Perth, and Josh Flook will also come in.

Len Ikitau was removed from the field in Auckland in the second half but the star centre is set to be available. Coach Joe Schmidt said he was suffering from the after-effects of a virus early in the week.

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