{"id":131186,"date":"2025-11-13T14:21:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T14:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/131186\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T14:21:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T14:21:12","slug":"ikitau-oconnor-return-to-wallaby-gold-for-ireland-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/131186\/","title":{"rendered":"Ikitau, O&#8217;Connor return to Wallaby gold for Ireland Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"css-2425b0\">2025 John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau will return to the Wallaby gold against Ireland at Aviva Stadium on Saturday night (local time).<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">The 27-year-old will reignite his partnership with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the centres, the pair featuring alongside each other in the midfield for 12 of the Wallabies last 16 Tests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Flyhalf James O\u2019Connor will start in the number 10 jersey for his first Test in the northern hemisphere since 2021, linking up with NSW Waratahs captain Jake Gordon who is again selected at scrumhalf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">21-year-old fullback Max Jorgensen and winger Filipo Daugunu have also been selected to start in Dublin, joining Harry Potter in the back three.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">The experienced Allan Alaalatoa is another who returns to the starting XV, where he will combine with hooker Matt Faessler and Angus Bell in the run on front row.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">In another reshuffle in the forwards Tom Hooper shifts to lock with Rob Valetini starting at blindside flanker.  Hooper will partner Jeremy Williams in the second row, while openside flanker Fraser McReight and skipper Harry Wilson complete the loose forward trio.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Dubbo junior Tom Robertson has been selected as the substitute loosehead prop, with Billy Pollard and Zane Nonggorr the other replacement front rowers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Lock Nick Frost shifts to an impact role off the bench, with Perth\u2019s Carlo Tizzano selected as the cover for the back row.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Ryan Lonergan will continue to earn international experience as the substitute scrumhalf, as will Tane Edmed who returns to the venue of his Test debut last year as the replacement playmaker.  The versatile Andrew Kellaway will wear the number 23 jersey and cover multiple positions across the backline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said: \u201cIt\u2019s been a tough schedule but we\u2019ve tried to embrace that this week and tried to freshen up at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">\u201cIt\u2019s another opportunity this Saturday to really challenge ourselves against one of the top teams in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wallabies team to play Ireland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday November 15 at 8:10pm GMT\/7:10am AEDT (Sunday)<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">\n1. Angus Bell (48 Tests) &#8211; #940; Hunters Hill Rugby Club<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">2. Matt Faessler (16 Tests) &#8211; #969; USQ Saints<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">3. Allan Alaalatoa (86 Tests) &#8211; #896; West Harbour Juniors<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">4. Jeremy Williams (23 Tests) \u2013 #973; Wahroonga Tigers<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">5. Tom Hooper (20 Tests) &#8211; #964; Bathurst Bulldogs<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">6. Rob Valetini (60 Tests) &#8211; #929; Harlequin Rugby Club<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">7. Fraser McReight (37 Tests) &#8211; #937; Albany Creek Brumbies<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">8. Harry Wilson (c) (34 Tests) &#8211; #933; Gunnedah Red Devils<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">9. Jake Gordon (35 Tests) &#8211; #925; Canterbury Juniors<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">10. James O\u2019Connor (70 Tests) &#8211; #832; St Joseph\u2019s College, Nudgee\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">11. Harry Potter (9 Tests) &#8211; #989; Moorabbin Rams<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">12. Len Ikitau (48 Tests) &#8211; #944; Tuggeranong Vikings\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (16 Tests) &#8211; #988; The Kings School<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">14. Filipo Daugunu (18 Tests) &#8211; #931; Wests Bulldogs<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">15. Max Jorgensen (18 Tests) &#8211; #984; Balmain Wolves<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Substitutes<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">16. Billy Pollard (19 Tests) &#8211; #958; Lindfield Junior Rugby<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">17. Tom Robertson (38 Tests) &#8211; #898; Dubbo Kangaroos<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">18. Zane Nonggorr (18 Tests) &#8211; #966; Gold Coast Eagles<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">19. Nick Frost (36 Tests) &#8211; #953; Hornsby Lions\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">20. Carlo Tizzano (12 Tests) &#8211; #982; University of Western Australia<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">21. Ryan Lonergan (4 Tests) &#8211; #933; Tuggeranong Vikings<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">22. Tane Edmed (7 Tests) &#8211; #990; West Harbour Juniors<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">23. Andrew Kellaway (48 Tests) &#8211; #943; Hunters Hill Rugby Club\n<\/p>\n<p>2025 Wallabies Tests<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 21 defeated Fiji 18 on Sunday July 6 at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle<\/p>\n<p>Qatar Airways British &amp; Irish Lions Tour<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 19 defeated by the British &amp; Irish Lions 27 on Saturday July 19 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 26 defeated by the British &amp; Irish Lions 29 on Saturday July 26 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 22 defeated the British &amp; Irish Lions 12 on Saturday August 2 at Accor Stadium, Sydney<\/p>\n<p>The Flight Centre Rugby Championship\/Bledisloe Cup<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 38 defeated South Africa 22 on Saturday August 16 at Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 22 defeated by South Africa 30 on Saturday August 23 at DHL Stadium, Cape Town<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 28 defeated Argentina 24 on Saturday September 6 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 26 defeated by Argentina 28 on Saturday September 13 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 24 defeated by New Zealand 33 on Saturday September 27, Eden Park, Auckland<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 14 defeated by New Zealand 28 on Saturday October 4 at Optus Stadium, Perth<\/p>\n<p>Spring Tour<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 19 defeated Japan 15 on Saturday October 25 at National Stadium, Tokyo<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 7 defeated by England 25 on Saturday November 1 at Allianz Stadium, London<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies 19 defeated by Italy 26 on Saturday November 8 at Bluenergy Stadium, Udine<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies v Ireland at 7:10am AEDT on Sunday November 16 at Aviva Stadium, Dublin<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-2425b0\">Wallabies v France at 7:10am on Sunday November 23 at Stade de France, Paris<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2025 John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau will return to the Wallaby gold against Ireland at Aviva Stadium on&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131187,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[85,12110,46,82102,105,9876],"class_list":{"0":"post-131186","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-il","9":"tag-ireland","10":"tag-israel","11":"tag-rugby-australia","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-wallabies"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}