The Wallabies coaching staff have selected their first squad for 2024, confirming 38 players for a Brisbane based camp leading into the July Tests against Wales and Georgia.
The squad of 21 forwards and 17 backs includes 13 uncapped players, with Crescent Head’s Darby Lancaster having also made his Super Rugby Pacific debut this year for the Melbourne Rebels.
Queensland teammates Tom Lynagh and Josh Nasser have followed in their father’s footsteps, named in their first national squads, with Michael Lynagh and Brendan Nasser having pulled on the gold jersey during the 1980s and 1990s.
Lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has earned a recall to the squad after returning to Australian Rugby last year, while James Slipper is the most-capped player with 134 appearances so far for the Wallabies.
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Meanwhile, Queensland Reds’ Alex Hodgman has taken a step closer to becoming just the fourth player to play for both Australia and New Zealand, qualifying to represent the gold jersey through his Fijian-Australian father.
The squad will assemble in Brisbane on Sunday for a four-day camp as they begin preparations for their first Test of 2024 against Wales in Sydney on July 6.
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt said: “There were some very tight selection calls, as there always are when selecting a National Team.”
The coaching group has looked hard at on-field performances and had ongoing discussions with Super Rugby coaches. We’ve combined the observations we’ve made, with some candid discussion and feel that we have some very good players to start working with, while also acknowledging that there are some good players who have missed selection.
“We have a short runway into our first Test, so we’re just keen to get to work and make as much progress as we can over the four days we have in Brisbane.”
Wallabies squad
Forwards (21)
Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors)
Angus Blyth (uncapped, Casuarina Beach Rugby Club)
Charlie Cale (uncapped, Beecroft Junior Rugby Club)
Matt Faessler (#969, USQ Saints)
Nick Frost (#953, Hornsby Lions)
Langi Gleeson (#960, Harbord Harlequins)
Alex Hodgman (uncapped, Sunnybank Dragons)
Tom Hooper (#964, Bathurst Bulldogs)
Isaac Kailea (uncapped, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Fraser McReight (#937, Albany Creek Brumbies)
Josh Nasser (uncapped, Easts Rugby (Brisbane))
Zane Nonggorr (#966, Gold Coast Eagles)
Billy Pollard (#958, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club)
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (#914, Randwick)
Ryan Smith (uncapped, Caboolture Snakes)
James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates)
Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby (Brisbane))
Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Jeremy Williams (uncapped, Wahroonga Tigers)
Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils)
Liam Wright (#928, Easts Rugby (Brisbane))
Kurtley Beale (#836, Northern Suburbs (Sydney))
Filipo Daugunu (#931, Wests Rugby Club (Brisbane))
Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles)
David Feliuai (uncapped, Sunnybank Dragons)
Josh Flook (uncapped, Brothers Rugby (Brisbane))
Jake Gordon (#925, Canterbury Juniors)
Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings)
Andrew Kellaway (#943, Hunters Hill Rugby Club)
Darby Lancaster (uncapped, Kempsey Cannonballs)
Noah Lolesio (#934, Tuggeranong Vikings)
Tom Lynagh (uncapped, University of Queensland)
Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club)
Hunter Paisami (#932, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Dylan Pietsch (uncapped, Leeton Phantoms)
Hamish Stewart (uncapped, Toowoomba Bears)
Nic White (#875, Maitland Blacks)
Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles)
Recovering from injury
Angus Bell
Harry Johnson-Holmes
Max Jorgensen
Rob Leota
Lachlan Lonergan
David Porecki
Blake Schoupp
Australia Sevens
Corey Toole
Wallabies v Wales, 7:45pm AEST, Saturday July 6 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wallabies v Wales, 7:45pm AEST, Saturday July 13 at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Wallabies v Georgia, 3:45pm AEST, Saturday July 20 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wallabies v South Africa, 2:30pm AEST, Saturday August 10 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Wallabies v South Africa, 5:45pm AWST, Saturday August 17 at Optus Stadium, Perth
Wallabies v New Zealand, 3:45pm AEST, Saturday September 21 at Accor Stadium, Sydney
