Lalakai Foketi doesn't think he's earned a phone call from Joe Schmidt, but as the lone Australian left standing in the Super Rugby Pacific season hasn't closed the door on a Wallabies return.
As the Wallabies gather in Sydney ahead of a July 4 Test against Ireland, the Chiefs centre will complete a rollercoaster 12 months when he runs out against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.
A World Cup player in 2023, Foketi was repeatedly injured - he avoided spinal damage but feared his career was over after a scary training injury in 2024 - and sapped of confidence when he eventually left the NSW Waratahs last season.
The messy exit prompted ongoing legal action, with the 31-year-old claiming he was wrongfully dismissed when his contract was terminated because he'd breached terms by travelling to Hamilton for promotional duties with his new club.
