Wallabies team: Winners and losers as Joe Schmidt ‘rolls the dice’ after James O’Connor’s shocker while key forward duo to provide ‘massive boost’
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt (inset) and fly-half Tane Edmed.
After Thursday’s confirmation of the Wallabies’ 23-man matchday squad to face the All Blacks at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, here are our key winners and losers from the announcement.
Winners
Tane Edmed
The Brumbies-bound playmaker has only made a handful of appearances for the Wallabies and his selection is a surprising one for this Bledisloe Cup Test as he has very little experience at Test level.
Edmed made his international debut last year against Ireland in the closing stages of the match at the Aviva Stadium but was forced off after just three minutes due to a head knock. Since then he has had limited game-time in the Test arena as he appeared off the bench against South Africa in Cape Town before getting the nod as the starting fly-half in Australia’s 28-26 defeat against Argentina in Sydney.
He battled in that clash with Los Pumas and was replaced by James O’Connor after 55 minutes and the Wallabies delivered a strong finish, with the latter pulling the strings as the starting fly-half. O’Connor then replaced Edmed for the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland but did not deliver the goods which means Joe Schmidt has again rolled the dice with Edmed preferred to start in this weekend’s encounter and he will be determined to repay his coach’s faith in him.
Will Skelton
The return of the behemoth second-row is a shot in the arm for the Wallabies after he missed their last three Rugby Championship Tests – two against Argentina and one against New Zealand – due to returning to his French club, La Rochelle, after the Wallabies’ two encounters against the Springboks in South Africa.
Skelton‘s presence in Australia’s line-up has shown in the past to bolster the side as he brings a unique skill-set to their cause. Although he does not jump in the lineouts, his impact in their last two Tests against the Lions and the back-to-back encounters against the Springboks made a massive difference as his physicality in the forward exchanges puts the Wallabies on the front foot and he will have to do just that against the All Blacks this weekend.
Jake Gordon
One of Australia’s experienced leaders, Gordon was his country’s first choice scrum-half at the start of their 2025 international campaign and gave a good account of himself during the Wallabies’ first two Tests against the British and Irish Lions.
However, a hamstring injury has kept him on the sidelines since the end of July which meant he missed the last Test against the Lions and all of their previous Rugby Championship encounters. With Tate McDermott now ruled out with a similar injury, which he sustained in last week’s Bledisloe Cup Test at Eden Park, Gordon’s return is a timely one and he will have to hit the ground running in Perth on Saturday.
Filipo Daugunu
The Reds speedster comes into the starting line-up as a replacement for Corey Toole, who has been the first choice left wing for the past four Tests but who was quiet in the corresponding fixture at Eden Park last weekend.
Daugunu made a big impact when he came off the replacements bench in Australia’s defeat to Los Pumas in Sydney as he crossed for two well-taken tries in the latter stages, when the Wallabies were chasing the game. After than impressive cameo, it was somewhat surprising when he was not promoted to the run-on side for the Eden Park Test with the All Blacks. He came on as a replacement at centre for Len Ikitau and made little impact but will be keen to make full use of his opportunity on the wing in this clash.
Allan Alaalatoa
The experienced front-row was the Wallabies’ first choice tighthead prop during their series against the Lions but sustained a shoulder injury in the second Test against the tourists which kept him on the sidelines during the early stages of the Rugby Championship.
After recovering, the 31-year-old was recalled to Australia’s squad ahead of their home Tests against Argentina but he sat out both those games before making his return to action off the bench against the All Blacks last weekend. Alaalatoa took over from Taniela Tupou in that encounter and caught the eye with a lively all-round performance during a 40-minute stint which has seen him getting the nod ahead of his counterpart for the rematch in Perth.
New faces on the bench
Schmidt has freshened up his replacements bench by bringing the likes of Rob Valetini, Tom Robertson and Josh Flook, who will all be expected to make a positive impact when they enter the fray.
Valetini’s return is a welcome one for the men in gold as like Skelton his presence in any Wallabies team usually provides a massive boost in the forward exchanges. Australia’s current John Eales Medalist missed last weekend’s All Blacks Test due to a persistent calf injury but is fit again and raring to go.
His impact off the bench should give the Wallabies good momentum, while replacement prop Robertson, who was last involved when he started in the win over Argentina in Townsville, will also be keen to impress when he comes on. Meanwhile, also keep an eye on rookie centre Flook, who finally gets an opportunity in the matchday squad this year after being on the fringes of the squad throughout this campaign.
Losers
James O’Connor
Leicester Tigers’ new playmaker got the nod as the Wallabies’ first choice number 10 in last weekend’s encounter in Auckland but has to be satisfied with a spot on the replacements bench this weekend as he swaps places with Edmed for the second week in a row. The fly-half position has been a troublesome one for head coach Schmidt and apart from the aforementioned duo, Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson have also been tried in that position in 2025.
O’Connor has been blowing hot and cold this year since getting his chance in the starting line-up in a memorable victory over South Africa in Johannesburg. He delivered an outstanding performance on that occasion but after failing to replicate that effort, he was relegated to the bench for the Tests against Argentina.
However, he was recalled to the starting XV in last weekend’s Test against the All Blacks but his poor game management and decision making proved costly during the latter stages of that Test, meaning Edmed is preferred for this encounter.
Taniela Tupou
Just like O’Connor, the man known as the Tongan Thor has been up and down with his performances for the Wallabies during their Rugby Championship campaign. The 29-year-old was elevated to the run-on side for the third Test against the Lions, after Alaalatoa’s injury, and came to the fore with one of his best ever performances for Australia.
However, despite being the first choice tighthead prop for all five of Australia’s Tests since then, he has failed to replicate that performance. Although he has been solid in the execution of his core duties, if truth be told, Tupou has been frustrating to watch in the previous matches against the Boks, Los Pumas and All Blacks. He has not been effective with ball in hand and on defence and Schmidt will be hoping for a much improved effort when he comes off the bench in Perth.
Tate McDermott
The 27-year-old is set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines after he limped off the field midway through the first at Eden Park last weekend with a hamstring injury which requires surgery.
That is a massive setback for McDermott, who has been involved in all of the Wallabies’ Tests in 2025. However, apart from starting in their first Test against Fiji in Newcastle, all his appearances prior to the previous Test against New Zealand, were made off the replacements bench as Gordon and Nic White were the preferred starters for the Tests against the Lions and the Rugby Championship games against South Africa and Argentina.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
Salakaia-Loto can consider himself to be very unlucky as he was one of the Wallabies’ better performers during that defeat to the All Blacks at Eden Park as he was in the thick of the action throughout a 62-minute stint on the field.
It was the 29-year-old’s first start of the year and he was solid on attack, gaining 22 metres from nine carries while also putting his body on the line on defence with eight tackles made.
However, with Skelton returning to take his spot in the second-row, he was always likely to lose his place in the run-on side with Jeremy Williams preferred to offer back-up off the bench. That must have been a tough decision for Schmidt with Salakaia-Loto also offering utility value as he is equally adept on the blindside flank.
Angus Bell
Australia’s most capped international James Slipper is set to play in his 151st and last Test and he will be in the starting line-up this weekend but Bell, who has been the veteran loosehead prop’s back-up for most of the Rugby Championship, drops out of the matchday squad for this encounter to make way for Robertson’s selection.
Apart from standing up well in the scrums, Bell is a dynamic ball carrier who has always made a big impact during the latter stages of Tests when coming off the bench. That was best illustrated in the Wallabies’ memorable triumph over Argentina in Townsville, although Robertson is no slouch in that department as well.
Carlo Tizzano
The 25-year-old tearaway is a competitive back-row who has emptied the tank whenever he runs out for Australia and scored an important try in last weekend’s loss to the All Blacks when the Wallabies were chasing the game late in the second half.
Despite coming on during the latter stages of that match, he put in a solid shift as he also impressed on defence but with Valetini, who has been one of the Wallabies’ best players in recent years, making his return via the bench Tizzano drops out of the matchday squad. Despite that setback, he has a bright future ahead of him and should play in many Tests down the line.
Corey Toole
Another one of the rookies in the Wallabies squad, the Brumbies speedster made an impressive try-scoring debut in the narrow defeat to the Springboks in Cape Town and did little wrong in the following Tests against Argentina and New Zealand.
However, with Daugunu shining off the bench in the second Test against Los Pumas and delivering a solid display against the All Blacks last week, Toole’s services are not required for this Saturday’s clash. With Daugunu taking his spot in run-on side, Toole also drops out of the matchday squad as O’Connor and Flook’s utility value give them an edge for bench duty.