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Liam Wright confirmed as 89th Wallabies captain ahead of Wales Test

Liam Wright poses during an Australia Wallabies Portrait Session on June 26, 2024 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for ARU)

Coach Joe Schmidt has named a surprise captain to lead Australia on Saturday night with Queensland Reds backrower Liam Wright set to become the 89th Wallabies captain when they take on Wales in Sydney.

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Wright will lead the men in gold into battle at Allianz Stadium after also being named to start at blindside flanker. It’d been reported earlier in the week that the 26-year-old had been given the nod to lead the team and that’s now been confirmed.

The loose forward’s leadership selection may have come as a surprise to some or even most, but Wright has proven himself captaincy material throughout the grades in Queensland. Wright captained Queensland U20s, Queensland Country and is now co-captain at the Reds.

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Fellow Reds co-captain Tate McDermott has also been named in the Wallabies’ 23 but will come off the pine, with NSW Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon picked in the No. 9 jersey.

Reds teammate Matt Faessler starts at hooker alongside Test centurion James Slipper and another former Queensland prop Taniela Tupou. Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams is one of two debutants in the starting lineup, and joins Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the middle row.

Captain Wright will pack down alongside Reds teammate Fraser McReight in the backrow, while reigning John Eales medallist Rob Valetini completes the forward pack as the No. 8.

Joining Jake Gordon in the halves is Brumbies pivot Noah Lolesio who returns to the Test arena for the first time in years. Outside them is Queensland pair Hunter Paisami and debutant Josh Flook in the midfield.

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Former Melbourne Rebels utility Filipo Daugunu is back in Wallaby gold after being named on the left wing, while NSW Waratahs recruit Kellaway will take his place on the right. In-form Brumbies outside back Tom Wright starts at fullback.

On the bench, there are another five potential debutants. Isaac Kailea, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tom Lynagh and Dylan Pietsch are all in line to debut in Wallaby gold should they be called on to come off the bench.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
4
Draws
0
Wins
1
Average Points scored
32
28
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
60%

The Wallabies’ first Test of the year against Wales at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium is scheduled to get underway at 7:45 pm AEST. Earlier, the Wallaroos play Fiji as part of the double header.

Wallabies team to take on Wales

  1. James Slipper
  2. Matt Faessler
  3. Taniela Tupou
  4. Jeremy Williams*
  5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
  6. Liam Wright (c)
  7. Fraser McReight
  8. Rob Valetini
  9. Jake Gordon
  10. Noah Lolesio
  11. Filipo Daugunu
  12. Hunter Paisami
  13. Josh Flook*
  14. Andrew Kellaway
  15. Tom Wright

Replacements

  1. Billy Pollard
  2. Isaac Kailea**
  3. Allan Alaalatoa
  4. Angus Blyth**
  5. Charlie Cale**
  6. Tate McDermott
  7. Tom Lynagh**
  8. Dylan Pietsch**
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Comments

18 Comments
C
Chris 136 days ago

I’m liking those selections. As a neutral I think it’s the best possible team. Go the Wallabies :)

j
john 136 days ago

Why would you appoint a south african captain of the Reds who is unable to inspire his team when the pressure is on, as captain of the Wallabies ?
Because you are a kiwi.

N
Nick 136 days ago

No huge shocks except for second row and 9 imo. Curious to know Joe’s thinking on the selection of williams and blyth over the likes of frost, smith etc. What is he using to measure performance between them? And well done to john ferguson, author on here who called for Jake starting at 9 a couple of weeks ago. Not my pick, but I don’t think there is a huge gap between the three 9s so keen to see what he can do.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
France outwrestle All Blacks in titanic Test for one-point win

Yeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.


Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.


Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).


It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!


On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.

61 Go to comments
T
Tom 1 hour ago
England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

Interesting post. I realise that try was down to Marcus Smith not Slade, this is why I mentioned that England's attack is completely reliant on Smith working miracles. Just wanted to highlight that Slade's little touch was classy and most English players would have cocked it up. Earl has gas, he's very athletic but Underhill is nailed on at 7 in my eyes though. They both need to be on the pitch so we need a tall 6 or 8 to complement them which we have in CCS and potentially Ollie Chessum. We also have young Henry Pollock who may be the 7 by the world cup.


The whole attack needs an overhaul but Richard Wigglesworth our attack coach was a very limited scrum half who excelled at box kicking and had no running game. Spent most of his career with Saracens who mauled, defended and set pieced their way to victory.... Which might have been ok if Felix Jones hadn't quit and been replaced by a guy who coaches Oyonnax who have one of the worst defences in the French 2nd division. I'm not too emotionally invested in England right now because this coaching setup isn't capable of winning anything.


England had no attack when they were winning under Eddie either. They battered teams with huge dominant tackles and won from pressure. The last time England had any creativity in attack was the Stuart Lancaster/Mike Catt era. They played some fantastic attacking rugby but results were mediocre, lots of 2nd place finishes in the 6N although it felt like we were building something special until we got brutally dumped out of our home world cup in the pool stage.

8 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

As has been the way all year, and for all England's play I can remember. I missed a lot of the better years under Eddie though.


Lets have a look at the LQB for the last few games... 41% under 3 sec compared to 56% last week, 47% in the game you felt England best in against NZ, and 56 against Ireland.


That was my impression as well. Dunno if that is a lack of good counterattack ball from the D, forward dominance (Post Contact Meters stats reversed yesterday compared to that fast Ireland game), or some Borthwick scheme, but I think that has been highlighted as Englands best point of difference this year with their attack, more particularly how they target using it in certain areas. So depending on how you look at it, not necessarily the individual players.


You seem to be falling into the same trap as NZs supporters when it comes to Damien McKenzie. That play you highlight Slade in wasn't one of those LQB situations from memory, that was all on the brilliance of Smith. Sure, Slade did his job in that situation, but Smith far exceeded his (though I understand it was a move Sleightholme was calling for). But yeah, it's not always going to be on a platter from your 10 and NZ have been missing that Slade line, in your example, more often than not too. When you go back to Furbank and Feyi-Waboso returns you'll have that threat again. Just need to generate that ball, wait for some of these next Gen forwards to come through etc, the props and injured 6 coming back to the bench. I don't think you can put Earl back to 7, unless he spends the next two years speeding up (which might be good for him because he's getting beat by speed like he's not used to not having his own speed to react anymore).

8 Go to comments
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