Former Wallabies coach Dave McKellar has expressed confidence in the abilities of flyhalf Noah Lolesio, despite the player’s recent challenges in the Japanese rugby league. Lolesio, who last played on Australian soil before signing with Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi, had hoped to compete in the Japanese League One tournament. However, his team failed to secure promotion after losing consecutive playoff series, most recently to Mitsubishi DynaBoars in May.

McKellar criticized the Wallabies’ decision not to select Lolesio, highlighting the player’s leadership and skill set as valuable assets for the national team. “He’s a good communicator. He can guide and direct a team around the park, but he also has the ability – when he’s at his best – to play what’s in front of him,” McKellar said. He also praised Lolesio’s kicking abilities and his steady improvement since being given opportunities with the Wallabies starting in 2020.

The coach noted that Lolesio already benefits from existing synergy with several Wallabies teammates, including halfback Ryan Lonergan, centre Len Ikitau, and fullback Tom Wright. McKellar referenced the “cohesion theory” developed with former Wallabies teammate Ben Darwin, emphasizing the advantage of players familiar with each other’s styles. “The games that Lonergan, Lolesio and Wright have played together certainly allows that. Then you throw Ikitau into the mix and there’s a lot of rugby that’s been played together there,” McKellar added.

Following a disappointing tenure at the New South Wales Waratahs, where the team missed the finals in consecutive seasons and McKellar lost support from key stakeholders, the coach has relocated to Japan. He recently accepted a long-term consulting role with Black Rams Tokyo, a division one finalist, and is also involved with the Red Hurricanes, a division two team.

Reflecting on his departure from the Waratahs, McKellar described it as “disappointing” but remains positive about his new opportunities overseas. “I’m loving the coaching that I’m doing up here,” he said, praising the dedication and professionalism of Japanese players. “They’re easy to coach, the Japanese. They work hard, they’re incredibly respectful, they want to learn, they want to get better.”

McKellar acknowledged the challenges faced during his time with the Waratahs but emphasized the progress he believed the team was making prior to his exit. “I was two years into the job after taking over a team that had won two games and come last, and it was always going to be a long haul and it was going to take time, but unfortunately that time was cut short,” he said. He expressed continued goodwill toward his former players and reaffirmed his focus on advancing his own coaching career. “I’m not the first coach to have gone through tough times and I won’t be the last,” McKellar concluded.