NSW Waratahs firebrand Miles Amatosero has turned around a miserable start to the season by being named in the first Wallabies squad of the year.
The giant lock was banned by the club after a preseason training punch-up with Angus Scott-Young left his teammate on the sidelines with a fractured eye socket.
Antonio Shalfoon of the Crusaders and Miles Amatosero of the Waratahs exchange heated words. Getty
“I regret that it happened and it shouldn’t have happened,” Amatosero said in February.
“I was training on my own. Some of the starts were 5.30am or 6am, and I do my field session and then head to the gym at Bondi Junction. It was so tough.
“My biggest thing is the boys and team, and being away from them, seeing how it affected the team really hurt.”
Amatosero is one of three uncapped players in a squad of 37 preparing for the July Nations Championship Tests.
The others are ACT Brumbies pair Declan Meredith and Lachlan Shaw.
Meredith is a five-eighth and Shaw is a lock.
“There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said.
“We’ve settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time.”
Zac Lomax is unlikely to feature for the Wallabies in July after being plagued by a groin issue. Getty
Code-hopper Zac Lomax, who has a calf injury, was not considered for selection along with Tom Lynagh, Will Skelton and Jake Gordon.
Queensland Reds fullback Jock Campbell earned a recall while, as expected, Brumbies prop James Slipper has been lured out of a short-lived Test retirement.
The four overseas-based players are Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper, Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell.
The group will assemble in Sydney on Wednesday ahead of their sold-out opening match of 2026 against Ireland at Allianz Stadium on July 4.
They will then travel to Brisbane to play France at Suncorp Stadium on July 11 before crossing the country to take on Italy at Perth’s HBF Park on July 18.
Wallabies squad for the July Nations Championship Tests
(Cap number, first Australian club, Super Rugby Pacific club, Test caps)
Forwards
Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors, ACT Brumbies, 88), Miles Amatosero (uncapped, South Coogee Red Devils, NSW Waratahs, 0), Angus Bell (#940, Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs, 50), Charlie Cale (#976, Beecroft Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 2), Josh Canham (#987, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 2), Nick Champion De Crespigny (#991, Canberra Grammar School, Western Force, 4), Tom Hooper (#964, Bathurst Bulldogs, Exeter Chiefs (UK), 22), Fraser McReight (#937, Albany Creek Brumbies, Queensland Reds, 39), Josh Nasser (#979, Easts Rugby (Brisbane), Queensland Reds, 11), Zane Nonggorr (#966, Gold Coast Eagles, Queensland Reds, 19), Brandon Paenga-Amosa (#918, Southern Districts, Western Force, 25), Billy Pollard (#958, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 20), Aidan Ross (994, Bond University, Queensland Reds, 3), Lachlan Shaw (uncapped, University of Queensland, ACT Brumbies, 0), James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates, ACT Brumbies, 151), Carlo Tizzano (#982, University of Western Australia, Western Force, 14), Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby (Brisbane), Racing 92 (France), 68), Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 62), Jeremy Williams (#973, Wahroonga Tigers, Western Force, 25), Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils, Queensland Reds, 36)
Backs
Jock Campbell (#959, Inverell Highlanders, Queensland Reds, 4), Filipo Daugunu (#931, Wests Bulldogs, Queensland Reds, 20), Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles, Western Force, 19), Josh Flook (#972, Brothers Rugby, Queensland Reds, 6), Carter Gordon (#967, Sunshine Coast Grammar School, Queensland Reds, 9), Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 50), Max Jorgensen (#984, Balmain Wolves, NSW Waratahs, 20), Ryan Lonergan (#993, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 5), Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 50), Declan Meredith (uncapped, Barron Trinity Bulls, ACT Brumbies, 0), Hunter Paisami (#932, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 35), Dylan Pietsch (#979, Leeton Phantoms, Western Force, 9), Harry Potter (#989, Moorabbin Rams, NSW Waratahs, 11), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (#988, The Kings School, NSW Waratahs, 18), Kalani Thomas (#995, Springfield Hawks, Queensland Reds, 1), Corey Toole (#992, Wagga Crows, ACT Brumbies, 6), Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles, ACT Brumbies, 43)
Unavailable for selection: Ethan Dobbins, Folau Fainga’a, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon, Zac Lomax, Tom Lynagh, Kadin Pritchard, Henry Robertson, Tom Robertson, Blake Schoupp, Will Skelton