MELBOURNE :Scrumhalf Nic White has put his retirement on ice to join Australia’s Rugby Championship squad for the tour of South Africa following an injury to regular number nine Jake Gordon.
The 35-year-old White had declared the third and final British & Irish Lions test in Sydney would be his last international match but on Thursday he was included in Joe Schmidt’s 35-man squad for South Africa.
“White (is) putting his hand up to help the group again due to Gordon’s injury, just a week after announcing his plans to retire,” Rugby Australia said.
Uncapped scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan will join 73-test White in the squad for next week’s clash against world champions South Africa in Johannesburg and the second test in Cape Town on August 23.
Flyhalf Tom Lynagh will miss the tour, though, after being struck high by Lions hooker Dan Sheehan in the Wallabies’ 22-12 win in Sydney and subsequently failing a head injury assessment.
One-test playmaker Tane Edmed replaces Lynagh in the squad, joining Ben Donaldson and James O’Connor among the flyhalf options.
Edmed’s call-up caps a rollercoaster year for the 24-year-old whose test debut against Ireland last November lasted three minutes before being forced off field with concussion.
He had a miserable Super Rugby season with the New South Wales Waratahs, falling down the flyhalf pecking order under coach Dan McKellar before announcing a switch to the ACT Brumbies next year.
For all that, Edmed said he had not lost faith he would eventually find his way back to the Wallabies.
“I’ve been in close contact with Joe (Schmidt) and the coaches, and they’ve always said ‘stay ready’,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“And despite the Super competition probably not going the way I would have liked, I always felt like I was a chance.”
With Allan Alaalatoa injured, uncapped prop Aidan Ross gets a chance.
Schmidt also recalled uncapped winger Corey Toole while adding the Queensland trio of centre Josh Flook, hooker Josh Nasser and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto among the new faces.
Prop Taniela Tupou and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, a late inclusion for the third Lions test, were retained.
Squad:
Forwards – Angus Bell, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Billy Pollard, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Carlo Tizzano, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, James Slipper, Jeremy Williams, Josh Nasser, Langi Gleeson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Tom Hooper, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Zane Nonggorr, Aidan Ross
Backs – Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, Josh Flook, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, James O’Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright
