Why Wallabies won’t lock in captain as ‘odd’ coach change looms

The countdown to the Wallabies’ season opener is on, with Joe Schmidt’s men to take on Ireland in their Nations Championship opener on July 4 in Sydney. 

Already Allianz Stadium is sold out for the clash – the first between the two nations at the Sydney venue since Joe Schmidt’s then-Irish side toppled Michael Cheika’s Wallabies 20-16 to seal a 2-1 series victory in 2018. 

Both squads have already been announced, with Ireland losing a couple of key players late in the piece, including captain Caelan Doris. Schmidt also threw a curveball by dropping Lukhan Salakaia-Loto just days after the Reds lock was included in Super Rugby’s team of the year. 

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.  

The final game against Italy will represent Schmidt’s final match in charge of the Wallabies, before Reds coach Les Kiss takes over. The coaching transition is more than 12 months in the making, after Schmidt decided early last year that he wouldn’t coach his adopted nation through to next year’s World Cup on Australian soil. 

With so many balls up in the air, here are five burning questions on the eve of the Nations Championship. 

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Are there any selection bombshells looming?

There are probably only two or three positions in the starting XV wide open. 

The front-row likely picks itself, with Angus Bell and Allan Alaalatoa expected to start. At hooker, Brandon Paeanga-Amosa’s form probably warrants selection in the No.2 jersey despite Billy Pollard regularly wearing the jersey in 2025. 

The second-row, however, is less clear. 

Jeremy Williams should be a lock, but who partners him is less clear. The Reds’ Josh Canham is certainly a strong option, and he will likely be a part of the 23, but uncapped duo Lachie Shaw and Miles Amatosero are certainly options. Shaw could get the nod given his height and breakdown efficiency.  

The back-row should be more straightforward, especially given Tom Hooper will likely return home later this week following his first season with Exeter. That should mean Rob Valetini lines up with Reds duo Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight. 

The injury to Jake Gordon has opened up the No.9 debate even more. 

While Ryan Lonergan is favoured to start, Schmidt used the Brumbie sparingly last year and it’s thought that the New Zealand coach isn’t convinced by him. Then again, Tate McDermott only recently returned from a long-term injury and his spark off the bench has proved important for the Wallabies. 

Carter Gordon is expected to start at fly-half, with Ben Donaldson expected to add versatility and experience off the bench. 

Tom Wright’s absence was also missed at the backend last year, which should see him quickly reinstated. He will likely partner Max Jorgensen and Dylan Pietch on the wings. 

It’s in the midfield where the final big question is hanging over the Wallabies, especially because of Len Ikitau’s involvement in the English Premiership final last weekend. 

Last year’s John Eales Medallist, most would think Ikitau’s selection would be a no-brainer. 

But Schmidt usually doesn’t throw players straight into the mix after being away from the side for an extended period of time. 

He might have to bend those rules if Hunter Paisami (MCL) doesn’t pass a fitness test later this week. Josh Flook and Filipo Daugunu are other options to partner Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the midfield. 

Will Harry Wilson continue as captain? 

Most coaches name a captain for a series. Not Schmidt. Not with the Wallabies in any case. 

While he had a preferred man during his days coaching Ireland, who the Wallabies’ captain is has remained a series-by-series, actually a game-by-game, proposition. 

Liam Wright was Schmidt’s first captain, but the former Reds loose-forward was once again grounded by injuries. 

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 – when he missed the second Test on tour against the Springboks in Cape Town. 

Asked by Stan Sport’s Michael Atkinson whether Wilson would continue as captain, Schmidt said the decision would be made after consulting with the wider leadership squad. 

“We’ve 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,” he said. 

Pressed on whether he would get it, Schmidt said Wilson was respected by his teammates but added that he wanted to confirm his team before naming the skipper. 

“It’s actually difficult to say until we get to selection for the match because there is some quite good competition for places,” he said.  

“I just love how passionate Harry Wilson is to play for his country. Throw the gold jersey on that man and he’s a man possessed, and I think other players enjoy that as well.  

“He has the confidence of the group, so he’d certainly be a contender to continue the captaincy. But I don’t want to pre-empt something because we will do things in stages.” 

In reality, barring an injury, Wilson will likely be given the captaincy unless he’s paving the way for a new leader to be brought into the mix under Kiss. 

Has RA missed the mark with its coaching transition? 

On April 29, 2025, Rugby Australia confirmed that Kiss would take over Schmidt following this year’s July Tests. 

With the New Zealand coach keen to spend more time with his family, Schmidt said he would continue to coach the Wallabies beyond his initial 20-month deal to allow Rugby Australia to get their intended replacement to lead through to the home World Cup. 

The coaching transition was sold as a win by Rugby Australia, who said it would allow Kiss to see out his three-year tenure with the Reds. 

But with Kiss’s Reds being dumped out of the Super Rugby competition in early June, it’s meant that the Wallabies are in somewhat of a holding pattern before Kiss takes the reins in August. 

The surprising omission of Salakaia-Loto, especially in light of Will Skelton’s injury-enforced absence, has also raised questions as to whether the Wallabies would look different under Kiss. 

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. 

“I’ve sat back and I find it really odd,” McKenzie told The Australian.  

“Rennie’s been coaching in Japan, he comes down and takes over the All Blacks and just gets on with it.  

“This three game transition, I think, is going to start to look strange because Kissy’s going to be sitting down twiddling his thumbs and Schmidt’s doing the next three times. It just seems like we’re wasting time. It just seems odd.” 

He added: “I know you were planning it a year ago and you’re trying to be smart, and that might have seemed like a sensible idea, but unless Kissy’s in the room, you’re losing three Test matches of preparation for the World Cup because in the end it’s his voice, his ideas, his culture.”

RA said France would send their top players. Will they? 

Despite Rugby Australia being told France won’t send down a second-string team, it would appear that Fabien Galthie won’t pick some of his top-line players. 

RA had been confident of Les Bleus being at full strength, but it would seem that not even the fact that it’s the inaugural Nations Championship nor a year out from a World Cup on Australian shores will see the Six Nations heavyweights change their tune regarding July fixtures. 

The French Top 14’s 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.  

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

That will be a blow to RA’s sales pitch to tune in and buy a ticket, but Galthie’s squad won’t be 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. 

It means the likes of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert will tour. Damian Penaud, the flying outside back who broke Australia’s hearts in 2022 with a late try, has also been picked to return. 

Former Waratahs and Brumbies forward Tom Staniforth is also in line to debut after retaining his spot in the wider squad. 

How many wins equals Wallabies success?

Australia’s brains trust aren’t putting a number on it, but anything less than two wins would be considered a disappointment for the Wallabies. 

Ireland won’t be easy (they’re on a five-match winning streak over the Wallabies), but Farrell is missing a few big-name players and they’re also coming to the end of a long season, which also comes off the back of a Lions series. 

France will be without at least half-a-dozen first-XV players but have also had the wood over the Wallabies in recent years. They beat the Wallabies 48-33 in their last Test of 2025. 

And Italy have beaten the Wallabies in their last two Tests. But given the three Tests are on Australian soil, the Wallabies are relatively injury-free, and Schmidt’s men should be fresh, anything but two wins would be a failure.