{"id":489952,"date":"2026-06-22T14:03:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/489952\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:03:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:03:19","slug":"rugby-news-2026-wallabies-squad-for-july-tests-joe-schmidt-wont-name-captain-coach-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/489952\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby news 2026: Wallabies squad for July Tests, Joe Schmidt won\u2019t name captain, coach transition"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0countdown\u00a0to the Wallabies\u2019<\/a> season opener is on, with Joe Schmidt\u2019s<\/a> men to take on Ireland in\u00a0their\u00a0Nations Championship opener on July 4 in Sydney.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Already Allianz Stadium is sold out for the clash \u2013 the first between the two nations at the Sydney venue since Joe Schmidt\u2019s then-Irish side toppled Michael Cheika\u2019s<\/a> Wallabies 20-16 to seal a 2-1\u00a0series victory in 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Joe Schmidt will coach the Wallabies for the final time in July.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

Both squads have already been announced, with Ireland losing a couple of key players late in the piece, including captain Caelan Doris.\u00a0Schmidt also threw a curveball by dropping Lukhan Salakaia-Loto\u00a0just days after the Reds lock was included in Super Rugby\u2019s team of the year.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Wallabies will then take on France in Brisbane, before rounding out the first leg of the Nations Championship by taking on Italy in Perth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The final game against Italy will\u00a0represent\u00a0Schmidt\u2019s final match in charge of the\u00a0Wallabies, before\u00a0Reds coach Les Kiss takes over. The coaching transition is more than\u00a012 months\u00a0in the making, after Schmidt decided early last year\u00a0that he\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0coach his adopted nation through to next year\u2019s World Cup on Australian soil.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With so many\u00a0balls up in the air, here are five\u00a0burning questions\u00a0on the eve of the Nations Championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Are there any selection bombshells looming?<\/p>\n

There are\u00a0probably only\u00a0two\u00a0or three\u00a0positions in the starting XV wide open.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The front-row\u00a0likely picks\u00a0itself, with Angus Bell and Allan Alaalatoa expected to start. At hooker, Brandon Paeanga-Amosa\u2019s form\u00a0probably warrants\u00a0selection in the No.2 jersey\u00a0despite Billy Pollard regularly wearing the jersey in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0second-row, however, is less clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jeremy Williams should be a lock, but who\u00a0partners\u00a0him is less clear. The Reds\u2019 Josh Canham is certainly a strong\u00a0option,\u00a0and he will\u00a0likely be\u00a0a part of the 23,\u00a0but uncapped duo Lachie Shaw and Miles Amatosero are certainly options. Shaw could get the nod given his height and breakdown\u00a0efficiency.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0back-row\u00a0should be more straightforward, especially given Tom Hooper\u00a0will\u00a0likely return\u00a0home later this week following his first season with Exeter.\u00a0That should mean Rob Valetini lines up with\u00a0Reds\u00a0duo Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The injury to Jake Gordon has\u00a0opened up\u00a0the No.9 debate even more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Rkising lock Miles Amatosero (R) has taken Lukhan Salakaia-Loto’s spot in the Wallabies.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

While Ryan Lonergan is\u00a0favoured\u00a0to start, Schmidt used the Brumbie sparingly\u00a0last year and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0thought that the New Zealand coach isn\u2019t convinced by him. Then again, Tate McDermott only recently returned from a long-term\u00a0injury\u00a0and his spark off the bench has proved\u00a0important for the Wallabies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Carter Gordon is expected to start at fly-half, with Ben Donaldson expected to add versatility and experience off the bench.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tom Wright\u2019s absence was also missed at the backend last year, which should see him quickly reinstated. He will\u00a0likely\u00a0partner\u00a0Max Jorgensen and Dylan Pietch on the wings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0in the midfield where the final big question is hanging over the Wallabies,\u00a0especially because of Len Ikitau\u2019s involvement in the English Premiership final last weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s John Eales\u00a0Medallist, most would think\u00a0Ikitau\u2019s\u00a0selection\u00a0would be\u00a0a no-brainer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Schmidt\u00a0usually\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0throw players straight into the mix after being away from the side for an extended\u00a0period of time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He might have to\u00a0bend\u00a0those rules if Hunter Paisami (MCL)\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0pass a fitness test later this week. Josh Flook and Filipo\u00a0Daugunu\u00a0are other options to partner Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the midfield.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s Len Ikitau played in the English Premiership final for Exeter.\u00a0AP<\/p>\n

Will Harry Wilson continue as captain?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most coaches name a captain for a series. Not Schmidt. Not with the Wallabies in any case.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While he had a preferred man during his days coaching Ireland, who the Wallabies\u2019 captain is has\u00a0remained\u00a0a series-by-series,\u00a0actually a\u00a0game-by-game, proposition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Liam Wright was Schmidt\u2019s first captain, but the former Reds loose-forward was once again grounded by injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It took a couple more picks before Schmidt turned to Wilson and the Reds No.8 held the captaincy duties for every Test bar one last year \u2013 when he missed the second Test on tour\u00a0against\u00a0the Springboks in Cape Town.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asked by Stan Sport\u2019s Michael Atkinson whether Wilson would continue as captain, Schmidt said the decision would be made\u00a0after consulting with the wider leadership squad.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got the leaders together next Tuesday and that will give us an opportunity just amongst that group just to galvanise who and how they take up those roles,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Matt<\/p>\n

Harry Wilson is expected to remain as the Wallabies’ captain despite Joe Schmidt leaving the door open for a new leader.\u00a0Franco Arland\/Getty<\/p>\n

Pressed on whether he would get it, Schmidt said\u00a0Wilson was respected by his teammates but added that he wanted to confirm his team before naming the skipper.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0actually difficult\u00a0to say until we get to\u00a0selection\u00a0for the match because there is some quite good competition for places,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love how passionate Harry Wilson is to play for his country. Throw the gold jersey on that man and\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0a man\u00a0possessed, and\u00a0I think other players\u00a0enjoy that as well.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has\u00a0the confidence\u00a0of\u00a0the group, so\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0certainly be a contender to continue\u00a0the captaincy. But I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want to pre-empt something because we will do things\u00a0in\u00a0stages.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In reality, barring\u00a0an injury, Wilson will\u00a0likely be\u00a0given the captaincy unless\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0paving the way for a new leader to be brought into the mix under Kiss.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Has RA missed the mark with its coaching transition?\u00a0\"Joe<\/p>\n

Les Kiss (R) will take over from Joe Schmidt (L) as Wallabies coach in August.\u00a0nna\\sworthington<\/p>\n

On April 29, 2025, Rugby Australia confirmed that Kiss would take over Schmidt following this year\u2019s July Tests.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With the New Zealand coach keen to spend more time with his family, Schmidt said he would continue to coach the Wallabies beyond his\u00a0initial\u00a020-month deal to allow Rugby Australia to get\u00a0their\u00a0intended replacement to lead through to the home World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The coaching transition was sold as a win by Rugby Australia, who said\u00a0it would allow Kiss to see out his three-year tenure with the Reds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But\u00a0with Kiss\u2019s Reds being dumped out of the Super Rugby competition in early June,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0meant that the Wallabies\u00a0are in\u00a0somewhat of a holding pattern before Kiss takes the reins\u00a0in August.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The surprising omission of\u00a0Salakaia-Loto, especially\u00a0in light of\u00a0Will Skelton\u2019s injury-enforced absence, has also raised questions as to whether the Wallabies would look different under Kiss.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Former Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie questioned whether the prolonged transition remained in the best interest of the national side with a World Cup on the horizon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0sat back and I find it\u00a0really odd,\u201d McKenzie told The Australian.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRennie\u2019s been coaching in Japan, he comes down and takes over the All Blacks and just gets on with it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis three game transition, I think, is going to start to look strange because Kissy\u2019s going to be sitting down twiddling his thumbs and Schmidt\u2019s doing the next three\u00a0times.\u00a0It\u00a0just seems like\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0wasting time. It just seems odd.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cI know you were planning it a year ago and you\u2019re trying to be smart, and that might have seemed like a sensible idea, but unless Kissy\u2019s in the room, you\u2019re losing three Test matches of preparation for the World Cup because in the end it\u2019s his voice, his ideas, his culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

RA said France would send their top players. Will they?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite Rugby Australia being told France\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0send down a second-string team,\u00a0it would appear that Fabien Galthie\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0pick some of his top-line players.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RA had been confident of Les Bleus being at full strength, but\u00a0it would seem that not\u00a0even the fact that\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0the inaugural Nations Championship nor\u00a0a year out from a World Cup on Australian shores will see the Six Nations heavyweights change their tune regarding July fixtures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The French Top 14\u2019s mega season (the final between Toulouse and Montpellier will be played this weekend) has meant Australia and New Zealand are unlikely to see some of the best talent in the world tour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Instead, the likes of Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos and Emmanuel Meafou are expected to put their feet up. Even Bordeaux\u2019s electric winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who holds the record for the most tries in a Six Nations campaign (9), could be excluded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"DUBLIN,<\/p>\n

Antoine Dupont could miss the Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane. \u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

That will be a blow to RA\u2019s sales pitch to tune in and buy a ticket, but Galthie\u2019s squad\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be easy beats by any stretch of the imagination, especially after Bordeaux missed the French Top 14 finals days after being crowned Champions Cup winners for the second straight year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It means the likes of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert will tour. Damian Penaud, the flying outside back who broke Australia\u2019s hearts in 2022 with a late try, has also been picked to return.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Former Waratahs and Brumbies forward Tom Staniforth is also in line to debut after\u00a0retaining\u00a0his spot in the wider squad.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How many wins equals Wallabies success?<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s brains trust\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0putting a number on it, but anything less than two wins would be considered a disappointment for the Wallabies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ireland\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be easy (they\u2019re\u00a0on a five-match winning streak over the Wallabies), but\u00a0Farrell is missing a few big-name players and\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0also coming to the end of a long season, which also comes off the back of a Lions series.\u00a0<\/p>\n

France will be without at least half-a-dozen first-XV\u00a0players but\u00a0have also had the wood over the Wallabies in recent years.\u00a0They beat the Wallabies 48-33 in their last Test of 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And Italy\u00a0have\u00a0beaten the Wallabies in their last two Tests.\u00a0But given the three Tests are on Australian soil, the Wallabies are\u00a0relatively injury-free, and Schmidt\u2019s men should be fresh, anything but two wins would be a failure.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The\u00a0countdown\u00a0to the Wallabies\u2019 season opener is on, with Joe Schmidt\u2019s men to take on Ireland in\u00a0their\u00a0Nations Championship opener…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":489953,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-489952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/489952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=489952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/489952\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/489953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=489952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=489952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=489952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}