Wallabies name first squad in preparation for 2023 Rugby World Cup
New coach of the Australian Wallabies, Eddie Jones has announced his first 33-man squad, wasting no time preparing his team for this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.
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As excitement for the Rugby World Cup builds, Jones – who was only announced as Head Coach of the Wallabies in January this year, has named his first Wallabies squad since he last coached the national team from 2001-2005.
Six uncapped players have been named in the group, including young guns Josh Flook, Carter Gordon and Max Jorgensen, Brumbies prop Blake Schoupp, and Rebels backrower Brad Wilkin. Brumbies scrumhalf, Ryan Lonergan rounds out the Wallabies squad members named for the first time.
A skipper is yet to be named, with 120+ test veterans and team leaders, Michael Hooper and James Slipper both named in the first squad. Slipper stepped in as captain while Hooper took a break from the game late last year. It’s unclear yet who Jones will name as captain for the upcoming World Cup campaign, with Hooper said to be open to captaining again if he was called upon.
Speaking on selection and ahead of the squad’s training camp on the Gold Coast later this month, Jones made it clear this selection is a first squad, not a Rugby World Cup team.
“It’s no secret what I’ve been looking for,” he said, “and in the players selected for this first camp they’ve delivered on work rate, effort and intent.”
He says it’s now up to the players named to keep their position, and the players who missed initial selection to push their way in.
Hope rests on the shoulders of Eddie Jones, with Wallabies fans willing a repeat of Jones’ last stint as Head Coach of the national team when he took them to the Rugby World Cup Final in Sydney in 2003.
He will however, have the opportunity to tinker with his line-up, as the Wallabies encounter important World Cup preparation in the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship Tournaments in the middle of the year.
Australia will host one match of each tournament, as Australia takes on Argentina in the 2023 Rugby Championship at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on July 15.
The Wallabies meet rugby rivals from across the ditch, coming up against the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup at the MCG in Melbourne – New Zealand claimed victory in last year’s Bledisloe campaign by two points.
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Wallabies camp squad (age, team, Tests played)
Allan Alaalatoa (29, ACT Brumbies, 64 Tests)
Ben Donaldson (23, NSW Waratahs, 2 Tests)
Pone Fa’amausili (26, Melbourne Rebels, 3 Tests)
Josh Flook (21, Queensland Reds, uncapped)
Lalakai Foketi (28, NSW Waratahs, 5 Tests)
Nick Frost (23, ACT Brumbies, 9 Tests)
Langi Gleeson (21, NSW Waratahs, 3 Tests)
Carter Gordon (22, Melbourne Rebels, uncapped)
Ned Hanigan (27, NSW Waratahs, 28 Tests)
Reece Hodge (28, Melbourne Rebels, 54 Tests)
Michael Hooper (31, NSW Waratahs, 124 Tests)
Jed Holloway (30, NSW Waratahs, 10 Tests)
Len Ikitau (24, ACT Brumbies, 26 Tests)
Max Jorgensen (18, NSW Waratahs, uncapped)
Andrew Kellaway (27, Melbourne Rebels, 21 Tests)
Lachlan Lonergan (23, ACT Brumbies, 8 Tests)
Ryan Lonergan (24, ACT Brumbies, uncapped)
Fraser McReight (24, Queensland Reds, 10 Tests)
Mark Nawaqanitawase (22, NSW Waratahs, 3 Tests)
Cadeyrn Neville (34, ACT Brumbies, 8 Tests)
Jordan Petaia (23, Queensland Reds, 25 Tests)
David Porecki (30, NSW Waratahs, 10 Tests)
Tom Robertson (28, Western Force, 31 Tests)
Pete Samu (31, ACT Brumbies, 32 Tests)
Blake Schoupp (23, ACT Brumbies, uncapped)
James Slipper (33, ACT Brumbies, 127 Tests)
Darcy Swain (25, ACT Brumbies, 17 Tests)
Jordan Uelese (26, Melbourne Rebels, 15 Tests)
Rob Valetini (24, ACT Brumbies, 30 Tests)
Suliasi Vunivalu (27, Queensland Reds, 1 Test)
Nic White (32, ACT Brumbies, 59 Tests)
Brad Wilkin (27, Melbourne Rebels, uncapped)
Tom Wright (26, ACT Brumbies, 23 Tests)
