Joe Schmidt set to roll Wallabies selection dice for Ireland clash 

Scrum-half Ryan Lonergan is in line for his first Wallabies Test start 

Joe Schmidt has turned to Campbell, the 31-year-old Reds fullback who last featured for the Wallabies in November 2022. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

The Wallabies are set to spring a surprise against Ireland by deploying Jock Campbell at fullback, with Tom Wright – the man who wore the No.15 jersey against the Lions in 2025 – likely to come off the bench for Saturday’s Nations Championship fixture in Sydney.

The Irish Examiner also understands that halfback Ryan Lonergan is in line for his first Test start, while Len Ikitau is due to be catapulted back into the starting side at inside centre after flying home from England late last week. Max Jorgensen will come off the bench.

Queensland No.8 Harry Wilson is also set to keep the captaincy despite the Wallabies strongly considering making a tweak to their back-row.

Josh Canham, the rising Reds firebrand lock, is firming for a maiden start.

Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Josh Nasser shape as the two hookers, with Billy Pollard, who started for much of the year in 2025, falling out of favour after an underwhelming second half of the Super Rugby season.

And James Slipper, who retired from international rugby last October, is also due to come off the bench to provide some experience for the Wallabies as Joe Schmidt attempts to finish his tenure on a high.

They are some of the selections Schmidt is due to hang his hat on as he attempts to overturn the Wallabies’ horror fade-out late last year, where the men in gold lost seven of their last eight Tests.

Given the Wallabies’ season fell off a cliff the moment Wright fell over in Cape Town and ruptured his ACL, most expected the brazen fullback to walk back into the side despite his patchy form since returning to Super Rugby in late April.

Instead, Schmidt has turned to Campbell, the 31-year-old Reds fullback who last featured for the Wallabies in November 2022.

It had been thought that Jorgensen would start at fullback when news filtered through that Wright had been picked on the bench, but the 21-year-old, for now, is seen as a winger despite spending much of the year fullback for the Waratahs. The Wallabies, too, struggled last year when Jorgensen was in the No.15 jersey.

Campbell’s selection will end his 1,316 day Text exile, but his Test call-up is justified after the experienced Reds fullback enjoyed his best campaign yet in Super Rugby.

Wright, who spoke to the media on Tuesday, said he was looking forward to taking on Ireland at home after three straight defeats in Dublin.

“The handful of times I've played Ireland, it's always been at Aviva Stadium, which is difficult enough on its day,” he said.

“The threat that they pose as number three in the world, whether they're home or away, is pretty well a pretty big climb for any team. But it's nice that we get them on our home deck for once.

“I think the Super Rugby season that all the groups have had, we've all performed really strongly. I think they're probably looking forward to coming out and seeing where they land for a home game for us too, which is exciting.

“We saw how much enthusiasm and how much of a spectacle the Lions series was. And they're obviously a strong contingent in that Lions team that we saw. So, yeah, we're all chomping at the bit.” Meanwhile, Wallabies lock Jeremy Williams, who was sporting a black eye on Tuesday after copping some friendly fire with Rob Valetini, said he was confident that the side’s emerging second-row could handle Ireland’s.

The high work-rate lock, who rates as one of the best defensive lineout operators in Super Rugby, added that he didn’t care about the World Rugby rankings, where the Wallabies are five spots behind Ireland in eighth.

“I don't really think we care what people think or, you know, people are underestimating us,” he said.

“I think we've got full belief in our team and our system. And we've got confidence in each other to go out there and do a job.”