'No harder task': Dan McKellar stresses patience with Wallabies flyhalf Noah Lolesio

Wednesday marks two years until the 2023 World Cup begins and Lolesio will be a key factor in Rennie's plans for that tournament in France.

But change could be afoot in the wake of the Wallabies' 3-0 Bledisloe Cup series defeat at the hands of the All Blacks, with two games against South Africa now on the horizon.

Wallabies forwards mentor Dan McKellar has stressed patience with Lolesio, adamant there is "no harder task" than that facing the 21-year-old he coaches at club level with the ACT Brumbies.

James O'Connor will re-join the Wallabies squad in Queensland and could return to the fray against South Africa on the Gold Coast this weekend.

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The Queensland Reds playmaker already boasts combinations with Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami and Samu Kerevi but O'Connor has not played since May, while versatile Reece Hodge provides another option at flyhalf.

"I think Noah has learnt a lot out of the last three games. He's a young 10 who is just starting to find his feet at this level and he is learning some hard lessons against the best in the world," McKellar said.

"He has also done some really good things. If you look at all of our passages of play, Noah has played a leading role in the majority of them.

"Has there been areas of the game he needs to do better? Of course, but he is not alone there. I think from one to 23, everyone would put their hand up there and staff included.

"I'm really proud of Noah, we've just got to understand he is finding his feet at this level. Look at [New Zealand flyhalf] Richie Mo'unga five years ago, he was certainly not the player he is now.

"We've got to be patient, make sure we coach him well and develop him and get him to that level as soon as we can. I just hope the general public can be patient with him as well.

"It's a tough position to play, 10, in any team, but in particular for the Wallabies against New Zealand and South Africa. There's no harder task. We've got to be realistic, he is a very good young footballer who is developing and he will get there."

McKellar will return to Canberra following The Rugby Championship, ahead of his final year in charge of the Brumbies in the new-look Super Rugby Pacific.

The Brumbies are on the hunt for a new head coach to replace McKellar following the 2022 campaign, at which point he will join the Wallabies in a full-time capacity.

Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs told The Canberra Times applications for the role were due on Monday, expecting an array of top-level candidates for "a prestige job".

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