![\"Jonathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8a92e85b45a90780f82a70f6bc716cdfce4ba7c1.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
April 20, 2026 \u2014 7:19pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Isaac Kailea could not have timed his return to form any better.<\/p>\n On Friday night, the Waratahs forward scored a try in the win over Moana Pasifika<\/a> and, just hours later, his friend and fellow loose-head prop Angus Bell injured his left ankle playing for Ulster in Ireland, leaving the Wallabies potentially light on in a key position ahead of July\u2019s Tests.<\/p>\n Bell is still awaiting the results of scans to work out the seriousness of the injury, which came after he was tackled and the studs on his left boot got caught on Ulster\u2019s artificial field. Kailea got in touch with his former teammate as soon as he heard about the injury, but is also ready to be the next man up if needed.<\/p>\n The former Melbourne Rebels prop has played eight times for Australia, with his last Test against New Zealand two years ago. Last season, he struggled to get picked for the Waratahs and was dropped to play Shute Shield for Randwick.<\/p>\n Kailea spoke to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt in January and got simple feedback on what he needed to do to return to Test rugby: play for the Waratahs.<\/p>\n \u201cI spoke to him [Schmidt] at that camp at the start of the year and I think the main thing was just play,\u201d Kailea said. \u201cHe said, \u2018We know what you can do, and you\u2019ve just got to show it, so whatever you need to do to get on the field and show what you can do, then it\u2019s a lot easier to pick you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Kailea has heeded Schmidt\u2019s advice, scoring two tries in six games for the Waratahs this season.<\/p>\n Last year, things were very different, and he had to rebuild his game and his confidence completely.<\/p>\n \u201cI probably got too comfortable,\u201d he said. \u201cI thought coming into a new team with boys I\u2019m familiar with, I\u2019ll just sort of cruise in and find my feet again. But I probably didn\u2019t build that trust with the coaching staff and the other players.<\/p>\n \u201cMy own confidence was really shot through … last year. I was overthinking things, which I still do, but definitely not to the limit that I was doing last year.\u201d<\/p>\n A strong ally in rebuilding that confidence was former teammate and close friend Taniela Tupou who was open about his own doubts in rugby<\/a> while playing for the Waratahs last year.<\/p>\n \u201cI got to know him [Tupou] really well, and he always said the same thing, \u2018You\u2019ve played at that level, you know how good you can be\u2019,\u201d Kailea said.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom everyone around me at the Waratahs, there was never really any extra pressure to make it back, but also if you\u2019re playing at that level, you know, something good might happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article The Waratahs set piece is now the lowest-ranked in Super Rugby, winning just 87 per cent of scrums. Kailea started his career as a back-rower before moving into the front row, and knows that he must continue to develop his work at the scrum and learn to love a part of the job he previously endured.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to rugby, I like that ball-carrying aspect, tackling and all that physicality, and I think I was more thinking with scrums, just get through it and then I get to carry the ball,\u201d Kailea said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhereas now it\u2019s like, let me affect the game with my hooker and with my tight-head, and really put it on teams, put opposition tight-heads under pressure in the scrum and not just sort of get in and get out … I still think I\u2019ve got a bit of ways to go around my scrum.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific<\/a> live and exclusive on Stan Sport<\/a>. <\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Isaac](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1207a08cc3dae084debd8498e8e0eefeac8e6d84.jpeg\")
Isaac Kailea in action for the Wallabies in July 2024.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Isaac](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/60659113b15a248f3aa573a3c603d07e17869706.jpeg\")
Isaac Kailea has impressed for the Waratahs in 2026 after a tough 2025 campaign.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Zac](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776677351_809_a6fd9ed35cf6618c19e7b6c6ae8a66a123c71bbb.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n