Wallabies team: Winners and losers as Joe Schmidt gambles after ‘disastrous’ setbacks for B&I Lions series opener
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt, lock Will Skelton and fly-half Tom Lynagh.
Following the announcement of Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies team to tackle the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane, we pick out our winners and losers.
Schmidt has been dealt several untimely injuries ahead of the Test series opener with the likes of Noah Lolesio, Will Skelton, Dave Porecki and Rob Valetini ruled out, the former missing all three matches.
However, he has named a Wallabies team that he believes will be able to compete with what the famous touring outfit has to throw at them, rolling the dice on a rookie fly-half and Test debutant in the forward pack.
So without further ado, here are our winners and losers from the Wallabies team selected to face the British and Irish Lions.
Winners
Nick Champion de Crespigny
A story of grit, determination and relentlessness, Nick Champion de Crespigny will earn his Test debut for his country in extraordinary circumstances, starting in the number six jersey against the Lions.
The Canberra junior has been tasked with filling Valetini’s void in the loose trio and earns his first appearance for his country after a long five-year journey. In 2020, Champion de Crespigny was not picked up by an Australian Super Rugby club and left Sydney University to join French Top 14 club Castres.
Ex-Wallabies assistant coach Pierre-Henry Broncan took a punt on the back-rower, adding him to his roster at Castres with Champion de Crespigny failing to force his way into the Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels squads.
His name was floated among the Australian franchises last year as he wished to return Down Under and chase the Wallabies jersey, with the Western Force pouncing and the deal proving hugely beneficial for both parties.
Harry Wilson
Staying in the back-row and Harry Wilson has not only retained his place in the starting loose trio but will captain the side against the Lions.
This time last year, Wilson was not included in Schmidt’s Wallabies squad, but following a host of injuries, he was called in and did not let the opportunity slip, featuring throughout the Rugby Championship and November internationals.
He led his country for the first time last year and now looks to be the go-to option in the number eight jumper.
Wilson skippered the team in the warm-up match against the Fijians, scoring the clutch try to seal the victory too, but doubts still remained whether he’d hold onto the captain’s armband for the series with Jake Gordon expected to take over the role.
However, that has not proven to be the case as Wilson will lead the side out on Saturday.
Tom Lynagh
A lot of pressure will rest on the shoulders of fly-half Tom Lynagh on Saturday as he earns just his fourth Test cap for the Wallabies and earns his first start for his country against the British and Irish Lions.
While this is always a special occasion for a family, it is even more so for the Lynaghs as Tom follows in the footsteps of the legendary Michael Lynagh, his father, in playing against the Lions.
Michael pulled on the same numbered gold jersey when the side toured in 1989, with Tom now becoming the first Wallaby to follow in his father’s footsteps in playing against the Lions.
Growing up with the name Lynagh and the expectations that come with that cannot have been easy for Tom and even more so now as he takes over from the injured Lolesio at number 10 following his gutting injury against Fiji.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
After rocketing onto the rugby league scene, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii opted to make the switch back to union after accepting a mouth-watering deal from Rugby Australia.
Schmidt boldly selected him in his touring squad of the northern hemisphere last November despite the talented back having yet to play a professional 15-aside match. The call paid off as he shone for the Wallabies in the midfield and did so again in Super Rugby Pacific for the Waratahs, despite the side’s struggles and an injury that prematurely ended his season.
Code hoppers nowadays find the switch between league and union rather challenging, just look at Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, but Suaalii has taken it in his stride and his selection against the tourists is not a sentimental one but rather that he is clearly the best player for the position.
The Wallabies needed a superstar for this series and in Suaalii, they certainly have one.
Tom Robertson
It’s been a long three years between Test caps for prop Tom Robertson, who is set to earn his 32nd appearance for his country off the bench on Saturday.
The last time he played for the Wallabies, Dave Rennie was the head coach but the front-rower has worked tirelessly to force his way back into the set-up and richly deserves his opportunity.
He has been selected over Taniela Tupou after enjoying a fine run of form in the Western Force pack and showed just how powerful he can be, particularly in the scrum. The Lions’ pack has largely dominated in the set-piece on tour, but the team they had the least success against was the Western Force, with Robertson stationed at loosehead prop. The 30-year-old clearly has the skillset to switch between the two and can provide a real bite off the bench along with the excellent Angus Bell.
Losers
Will Skelton
Two days prior to the team announcement, Skelton stated that he was raring to go against the British and Irish Lions despite sustaining a calf injury in the win over Fiji.
However, he was heavily strapped in training and has ultimately missed out on the matchday 23 in a mighty blow for the Wallabies.
Not only does the powerhouse forward offer a massive ball-carrying option, but he is pivotal in every pack that he plays in, in terms of stopping mauls and adding his enormous frame to the scrummaging effort.
The 33-year-old also brings a wealth of experience, which was sorely needed in this Wallabies team and quite frankly, his absence is an enormous blow for the side. It is understood that Schmidt has opted not to risk Skelton and that the lock could have featured in the match but could have aggravated the injury, meaning he would miss the next two Tests. It’s a gamble either way for the Wallabies.
Rob Valetini
Ditto for all-action loose forward Valetini as the two-time reigning John Eales Medallist, Wallabies Player of the Year, misses out through injury in a hammer blow to their chances.
Even during the Wallabies’ worst run of form in the past few years, the back-rower has been a shining light making huge impacts on both sides of the ball. Arguably one of their best carriers in the tight and relentless defenders overall, Valetini is a leader in his actions on the pitch and will be sorely missed.
Schmidt is not short on back-row options but Valetini has time and time again proved his quality and been one of the Wallabies’ best.
James O’Connor
Rushed into the squad following the injury to Lolesio, earning his first call-up since 2022, James O’Connor would have fancied his chances of cracking the matchday 23 for the opening Test.
Instead, Schmidt has trusted the inexperienced 22-year-old Lynagh and versatile Ben Donaldson as the two playmaking options. Again, it’s another bold call from the hugely experienced coach to overlook the well-travelled Wallaby in such a high-profile match.
O’Connor has finished off matches well for the Crusaders this year, helping them to yet another Super Rugby title and could have been the ideal replacement, particularly if the game is tight.
Dylan Pietsch
Wing is another position where the Wallabies aren’t short on options, but after a breathtaking performance for the Western Force against the British and Irish Lions, Dylan Pietsch is unlucky not to make the matchday 23.
He was simply superb in the tourists’ first game in Australia as he regularly found a route through and around the Lions’ defence and was just as impactful without the ball.
Langi Gleeson and Dave Porecki
The injuries just racked up for the Wallabies with starters against Fiji, Langi Gleeson and Porecki, both suffering setbacks that see them ruled out of Saturday’s opener.
Gleeson was left on the outer of the squad earlier this year after he signed a deal to join Montpellier ahead of the 2025/26 season, but in his final year of Super Rugby Pacific, he impressed so much that Schmidt simply could not overlook him.
Meanwhile, Porecki has had his fair share of injuries lately but returned in fine form for the Wallabies against Fiji, grabbing a try from the back of a maul. An accurate set-piece hooker who is just as impactful around the park, he was set to be a key cog in the Wallabies pack in the series, but now misses the opener.
Taniela Tupou
One of the brightest talents in Australian rugby in recent years, Tupou, has simply hit a slump in form at the worst time and pays the price for that.
The tighthead prop has openly admitted his struggles with confidence this year after an underwhelming Super Rugby season.
Joe Schmidt
The head coach admitted that it is ‘not ideal’ that Lynagh will be starting his first Test match against the British and Irish Lions, an understatement, but Schmidt has also lost players in crucial positions.
Porecki is the most experienced and arguably most accurate hooker in the squad, and just behind him, Skelton is the most destructive lock in Australia. Valetini has been the most consistent Wallaby for several seasons, while Lolesio has been the go-to number 10 since Schmidt took over from Eddie Jones.
For such an important series, one of these injuries could be detrimental, but all of them at once could be disastrous; only time will tell.
