Tom Wright says he was able to reclaim his Wallabies full-back role simply because of “dad power” as he felt he had nothing to prove.
Nine months after suffering the devastating disappointment of being left out of the Rugby World Cup, Wright is rediscovered and could be in contention for the number 15 shirt in the first Test of the season against Wales in Sydney on Saturday.
However, Wright, who has enjoyed outstanding performances for the Brumbies in Super Rugby Pacific, looks set to edge out Andrew Callaway and win new coach Joe Schmidt’s vote.
The 26-year-old said Schmidt was keeping his selection card close to his chest, leaving the entire squad guessing who would start in the pair’s first game since Wales virtually eliminated the Wallabies with a record 40-6 World Cup win in France.
“I guess nervous is probably a good way to describe it,” Wright said of the atmosphere in the Wallabies camp after Schmidt’s side were down to just 10 World Cup survivors.
“It’s new for everyone. There’s a lot of new faces coming in, and some old faces coming back into the set-up. So it’s exciting.”
Bronte, a stylish utility player and wife, welcomed baby Indy to the family last year, and he believes it is his daughter, not the critics, who will have him on fire in 2024.
“That’s dad’s strength,” Wright said.
“Coming home after a hard day. We’ve been lucky not to have too many crappy games all season, but opening the door and dropping off your bag is the best part of coming home.
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“Like the disappointment at the World Cup, of course everyone is wondering about it, but I don’t think much will change other than having more people at home.
“(Brumbees coach Stephen) ‘Bernie’ (Rackham) has been fantastic in helping me get my confidence back and ready for pre-season.
“So, physically, nothing much has changed.”
Randwick-born Wright, who played five NRL games for Manly as a teenager before joining the Brumbies in 2019 and playing 23 Test matches in Australia, admits his career has been a “rollercoaster”.
“There’s the highest joy, there’s the lowest joy, but I’m trying to find the middle ground,” he said.
“You’re always competing against the best of the best.”
Wright looks set to start at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday, whether at full-back or on the wing, and Schmidt said he would allow all three defenders to play wherever they see fit.
“He’s definitely been given some license to roam around, both in and out of the game,” he said.
“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on connecting with our big players and playing a little bit tighter and giving them a little bit more space on the edge.”
The Wallabies will also be keen to end their miserable run in Sydney, which left Wright stunned.
Remarkably, Australia’s only win in their last 12 Test matches in Sydney was a 34-15 win over Samoa at CommBank Stadium in 2019.
“It’s important the team makes Sydney feel like home again,” he said after back-to-back defeats to England, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa and Argentina in the NSW capital.
