Christy Doran’s predicted Wallabies team to not only beat Ireland but pave the way for brighter years ahead
The Wallabies kick off their Nations Championship campaign against Ireland on Saturday.
Joe Schmidt’s first Test side of the year is just days away from being named – and thank goodness for that, too.
After a predictable Super Rugby campaign, the international season could not have come quickly enough.
Other than a few NRL clashes, Rugby Australia’s next door neighbour at Moore Park, Allianz Stadium, had been relatively empty all year. Now, the sold out sign is set to shine for the Wallabies’ blockbuster against Ireland on Saturday.
RA could not have got the sold out social media post out quicker on Instagram when all the tickets were exhausted.
Those tickets were always going to sell like hot cakes, especially with the thousands of Irish eyeing up another boilover eight years after Schmidt’s then-Irish side toppled the Wallabies to complete a come-from-behind 2-1 series win.
James Ryan still remembers it like yesterday.
“My memory from that game was that behind the goal post, it was just a full stand of green,” Ryan told reporters in Sydney over the weekend. “It was mental.”
That green army at the south stand is preparing themselves to fill the bars in Paddington, leaving a trail of Guinness behind them.
Now, however, comes the trickier part for the Wallabies and Rugby Australia. Selection.
Schmidt will likely name his squad internally on Tuesday, but this is the side that could not just beat Ireland, but pave the way for brighter years ahead.
The outgoing Wallabies coach’s biggest call will undoubtedly come in the back-row, where he must consider whether to start incumbent captain Harry Wilson or give himself a better balanced back-row by starting Tom Hooper. I would make the call now.
Hooper isn’t yet an international standard lock, but he’s a first-class back-rower. If he’s not covering both roles off the bench, that’s where he should be played.
There wasn’t a standout hooker in Australian rugby in 2026, but Brandon Paenga-Amosa’s form was stronger than Billy Pollard’s. His scrummaging is something that should be considered, too.
Undoubtedly a big call is looming in the second-row. The axing of Nick Frost means Schmidt will have a new-look, especially given Josh Canham is still an international novice despite his promise. Could Lachie Shaw, whose breakdown work and work rate is elite, start? He might if Schmidt doesn’t choose the soft option of using Hooper as a lock.
Schmidt isn’t yet sold on Ryan Lonergan, but the Brumbies general deserves first crack. He’s not a finisher either, with Tate McDermott still a match-winner off the bench.
Carter Gordon doesn’t always play to script, which could work against him at the selection table. But I’d still have him start, with Ben Donaldson providing cover at fly-half and full-back off the bench.
Len Ikitau is fit and should start, for now, at inside centre, before being looked at in the No.13 jersey later in the year.
While Tom Wright’s runs in the bank should have him start just over Jock Campbell.
Christy Doran’s Wallabies team to take on Ireland
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight (c), 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Lachie Shaw, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Angus Bell
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 James Slipper, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Josh Canham, 20, Charlie Cale, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Filipo Daugunu
Latest World Rugby rankings: Springboks lead the way ahead of Nations Championship
What constitutes as a pass mark for the Wallabies in July
The Wallabies’ first two opponents in July might be well ahead of them on the World Rugby rankings respectively – Ireland is third and France is fourth – but nothing short of one victory should be considered a pass mark.
Italy, of course, are rising and have beaten the Wallabies in their past two encounters, but there’s no way in the world they should be considered favourites against the men in gold.
So the Wallabies will need two victories for the July Tests to be considered as progress.
While the Wallabies have the capacity to win all three Tests, the nation’s inconsistency means that would be a far-fetched idea.
Laurie Fisher said it best when the outgoing Wallabies assistant said we “blow hot and cold” too often. Preach.
All the while Les Kiss will be sitting back in Brisbane in an awkward position.
Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby announce historic Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Tests
If the Wallabies win all three, or show strong progress, people will still be asking why there’s a coaching change over, especially one who has a giant question mark hanging over him, while if they perform poorly, RA will have another tough job explaining why they kept Schmidt on board to coach just another three Tests.
They might even ask why they paid him so much.
Galthie gets real – now it’s showtime for the Wallabies
RA boss Phil Waugh wanted France’s big guns to come down under for their Test against the Wallabies. Now, he’s got his wish – and it’s a scary proposition.
The likes of Manny Meafou, the giant French tighthead lock, who was extraordinarily overlooked by Australian rugby years ago despite being in the system, will jump on the plane to link up with their French teammates.
Among the others joining them are hooker Peato Mauvaka, playmaker Romain Ntamack and centre Kalvin Gourgues. Good luck.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
While not everyone is joining them, including full-back Thomas Ramos, who sealed France’s Six Nations success this year, the decision for some of France’s core players to come down under is a smart decision 15 months out from the World Cup. Fabien Galthie will be rubbing his hands together.
Not only will they play at a ground where they are poised to play a knockout fixture, it will also give some of their key stars their first experience of rugby in the country.
They won’t feature against the All Blacks this weekend, but they are set to take on the Wallabies. Strap yourself in.
McKellar’s axing another example of a shambolic organisation
Rightly or wrongly, Dan McKellar’s axing is the latest example of what’s wrong in Australian rugby.
The former Wallabies assistant might not have met his expectations at the Waratahs – the ‘Tahs won just four of 14 Tests in 2026 – but he’s the latest in a long line of coaches who have been chewed up and spat out by the Super Rugby franchise.
Dan McKellar makes decision on NSW Waratahs future as coaching changes continue
By the time Rugby Australia, who now oversee the Waratahs’ high performance department, appoints McKellar’s replacement, the Super Rugby franchise will have made six different head coaching appointments in eight years. That’s a crazy number and speaks to the culture and mismanagement of the franchise.
Making the situation all the more comical is that Rob Penney, who was sacked early in his second season in charge in 2021, ended up leading the Crusaders to the Super Rugby title in 2025. One year earlier, the Crusaders missed the finals after the experienced coach took over from Scott Robertson.
RA should take its share of the blame.
They appointed McKellar, who put a broom through the Waratahs. Now, they’ve speared him because the players aren’t happy.
NRL’s $5 billion deal a reminder of the challenge ahead for RA
It comes as no surprise, but in these corners of the world, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
That’s the reality staring RA in the face, and it’s why chief executive Waugh needed to take a leaf out of NRL boss Peter V’Landys’s playbook by really going to market and stretching Nine Entertainment.
Although RA was celebrating a modest uplift in their broadcast deal 12 months ago, it wasn’t near enough to really move the needle. Insiders have long suggested the media rights deal was worth closer to $60m than the $42m that they got per year.
RA can still unlock more money by meeting certain KPIs, including taking out a Super Rugby competition or winning a Bledisloe Cup, but the fact that no Australian side made the semi-finals this year tells you the chances of that occurring are remote.
Meanwhile, the NRL’s deal will mean the salary cap is set to rise exponentially. In addition, more teams are being looked at to be included in an expanded 20-team competition.
For Australia’s four Super Rugby sides, whose salary cap hasn’t moved since 2019, that’s a scary proposition.
READ MORE: Wallabies star: Springboks have revolutionised the scrum and use of the bench