In another timeline, Sevens star James Turner could’ve been preparing for one of the most unlikely Wallabies debuts in recent memories.
Instead, the Shawn Mackay Award winner was left to reflect on his secret call-up to the Test squad for the first Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park.
Watch every second of the 2025 Autumn Nations Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Turner found himself rushed onto a plane to Auckland after coach Joe Schmidt found himself short of numbers after Andrew Kellaway’s calf injury.
He would’ve needed some serious injuries/illness to find himself thrust onto the biggest stage. Nonetheless, the flyer relished the chance to be involved in the program, even if only for a couple of days.
“I just got a call from Joe, I think they had a couple of injuries, and I was about eighth in the line, so they just needed someone to defend Tooley because it's pretty quick,” he said after accepting his award as Men’s Sevens Player of the Year.
“I just got a call one day after training, after getting absolutely flogged by [Men’s Sevens Head of Athletic Performance] Mick Stephen. He just said, ‘Hey, mate, can you come to Auckland to help the boys train...We'll be in contact. You're in the Wallabies' camp.
“I was like ‘Holy, that's pretty crazy.’...I thought about taking a few boys' knees out, but no, I'm too nice.”
Turner has Super Rugby experience, playing three times for the NSW Waratahs, including a ‘ forgettable game’ at Eden Park against the Blues.
But the 27-year-old’s focus will stay on the Sevens after becoming the eighth different winner of the Shawn Mackay Award in as many years.
He looms as one of the key stars in their push for the new-look SVNS Grand Final, which will be played across three different events in Hong Kong, Bordeaux, and Valladolid, as the team gets straight back into work.
“It's pretty expected, playing Sevens, constantly running 10 kms a day and getting flogged, but I guess we love it, we're a bit sick in the head. I love it, I love the boys, and I'll hopefully run 10kms with them every day,” he said and smiled.
“I think we're in a really good spot compared to last year. We've got a good, gelled group that's carried on from last year. I think we're on to bigger and better things.
“We were a bit of a rollercoaster last year because we had a bit of inexperience, but coming into this year, I think the boys are flying. It's my fourth year, and it's getting pretty hard at training because all the boys are quite good.”
