Wallabies team: Injury crisis worsens as Joe Schmidt finally rewards star for Lions tour heroics

Jared Wright 11 Sep 2025 5:50 AM

Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and an inset of head coach Joe Schmidt.

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has made four changes to his team for the second Rugby Championship Test against Argentina.

Tane Edmed has been drafted into the run-on team and earns his first Test start at fly-half in the place of Tom Lynagh, who is nursing a hamstring injury he sustained in the Round Three victory over Los Pumas.

Four changes

The playmaker will combine with Nic White in the half-backs, while Schmidt has been forced into further changes in his backline as Reds centre Hunter Paisami is set to feature in a gold jersey for the first time in 2025. He starts in the number 12 jersey, replacing Len Ikitau, who has a laceration on his knee that has failed to heal enough to take the field on Saturday.

That means for the first time this year, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has a new Wallabies midfield partner with the former rugby league star impressing with two tries in the 28-24 victory last weekend.

The remainder of the starting backline is unchanged from the win over Argentina last week as Schmidt selects Andrew Kellaway at full-back with Max Jorgensen and Corey Toole on the wings, the trio all featuring at their home state.

Up front, all-time Wallabies appearance record holder James Slipper will move just one Test away from becoming the first player to wear the gold jersey on 150 occasions, as he runs out in the number one jersey for his 149th match for Australia. He will combine with hooker Billy Pollard and tighthead prop Taniela Tupou in the front-row as Tom Robertson drops out of the matchday 23.

There is a change to the second-row as Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams returns to partner Tom Hooper, with Nick Frost being managed due to a tight back. The loose trio is unchanged, with Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson named in the back-row once again.

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Schmidt has altered his bench as well, with Queensland duo Josh Nasser (replacement hooker) and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (replacement lock) named to play their first Tests of 2025. The latter doing so after impressing against the British and Irish Lions tour matches earlier this year. Props Angus Bell and Zane Nonggorr complete the substitute front-row with Carlo Tizzano providing back-row cover.

The replacement backs remain the same from Townsville, with Tate McDermott and James O’Connor the substitute halves, with Filipo Daugunu providing versatility in rounding out the matchday 23.

Wallabies coach Schmidt said: “While managing injuries is always a challenge, we’re excited to have some fresh bodies who have been training hard with the group for a number of weeks and are keen to contribute.

“Argentina led for the whole game in Townsville until the very end, and we’re very aware of the threat they’ll pose on Saturday afternoon. We’ll need to be better than we were last week.”

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Australia team v Argentina

Australia: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Jeremy Williams, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu

Date: Saturday, 13 September
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 14:00 (local), 4:00 (GMT), 16:00 (NZL), 6:00 (RSA), 1:00 (ARG)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (FFR)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)