Slipper answers SOS, uncapped trio named for Wallabies
Darren Walton |
Veteran prop James Slipper and uncapped trio Declan Meredith, Lachlan Shaw and Miles Amatosero have all been included in the Wallabies squad for next month’s Nations Championship Tests in Australia.
After retiring last November, 37-year-old Slipper could surpass All Blacks great Sam Whitelock as rugby’s second most-capped player in history after answering an SOS call from coach Joe Schmidt.
Fellow loosehead Angus Bell also features in the 37-man squad following a season-long sabbatical with Ulster in Ireland.
Looking to press their 2027 World Cup claims, Brumbies pair Meredith and Shaw and Waratahs lock Amatosero are in line for potential debuts against Ireland in Sydney on July 4.
Meredith, 29, grew up in Cairns and played his junior rugby for Barron Trinity Bulls before moving to Canberra and earning his selection following strong performances at flyhalf for the Brumbies.
Shaw, 23, stands 200cm tall and progressed through the Brisbane ranks as a junior before also moving to Canberra to further his development, representing the Junior Wallabies in 2023 and becoming a mainstay in the second row and prominent feature of the Brumbies’ lineout in 2026.
Amatosero, who turned 24 during the week, began his rugby journey as a South Coogee junior, coming through the NSW pathways before spending three years at Clermont Auvergne in France.
He returned to Sydney ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season and has been rewarded for his strong season in sky blue in 2026 with selection in his first Wallabies squad.
Queensland fullback Jock Campbell is a step closer to a Wallabies recall, having last played for his country back in 2022, while Charlie Cale also returns to the national group after injury ruled him out of last year’s Test campaign.
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott and fullback Tom Wright also return having missed the back end of last year’s campaign with injury.
UK-based pair Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper, alongside France-based prop Taniela Tupou have also been selected, with all three set to feature in domestic finals matches this weekend.
The group, which consists of 20 forwards and 17 backs, will assemble in Sydney on Wednesday.
After facing Ireland, the Wallabies travel to Brisbane to play France at Suncorp Stadium on July 11, before taking on Italy in Perth the following Saturday.
“There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” Schmidt said.
“We’ve settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time.”
Veteran half Jake Gordon, the code-hopping Zac Lomax and former captain Will Skelton were among a raft of big names unavailable through injury.
Wallabies squad:
Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Miles Amatosero, Angus Bell, Charlie Cale,
Josh Canham, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Lachlan Shaw, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.
Backs: Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Carter Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Declan Meredith, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Corey Toole, Tom Wright.
AAP