31-Test Wallaby to captain Waratahs in pre-season trial against Reds

31-Test Wallaby Matt Philip will captain his boyhood club the NSW Waratahs this weekend when they take on the Queensland Reds, with coach Dan McKellar naming a 30-player squad for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific trial.

Philip was unveiled on Tuesday as the Waratahs’ captain for the 2026 campaign, taking over from scrum-half Jake Gordon, who held the role for five seasons. The 31-year-old wore the Tahs’ Cambridge blue jersey for the first time against the British & Irish Lions last July.

McKellar has named Philip in the run-on side at lock, partnering former Queensland Red Angus Blyth in the middle row. Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins and Daniel Botha have been selected up front in the First XV.

Clem Halaholo starts at blindside flanker, with openside Jamie Adamson and No. 8 Leafi Talataina rounding out the loose forwards trio. Folau Fainga’a, Isaac Kailea and Charlie Gamble are among those selected to come off the bench.

Teddy Wilson partners Lawson Creighton in the halves, with Jack Bowen set to provide impact off the pine as the replacement fly-half. Joey Walton and former Western Force utility George Poolman have been named in the midfield.

Former Australia Sevens and Australia U20s flyer Sid Harvey will wear the No. 11 jersey, following a breakout Super Rugby AUS campaign last year. Wallabies winger Harry Potter and fullback James Hendren complete the outside backs combination.

“We’ve had a good pre-season and the boys are eager to get going and play some rugby,” McKellar said.

“We saw from the Reds’ trial against the Force that they had some positive moments both sides of the ball. Having had one more game than us at this stage, we’re expecting them to come out of the blocks and play with a real intensity.

“Travelling to both Brisbane and then onto Canberra next week is a chance to test ourselves against the two best Australian Super Rugby franchises in recent seasons. It’s great preparation and we’re looking forward to seeing transfer from what we have done on the training field.”

This match at Brisbane’s Ballymore Stadium will get underway at 3:00 pm on Saturday. These two teams will meet in the first round of the Super Rugby Pacific season, at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, on February 13.

Waratahs team to take on Queensland Reds in pre-season trial

1. Tom Lambert
2. Ethan Dobbins
3. Daniel Botha
4. Matt Philip ©
5. Angus Blyth
6. Clem Halaholo
7. Jamie Adamson
8. Leafi Talataina
9. Teddy Wilson
10. Lawson Creighton
11. Sid Harvey
12. Joey Walton
13. George Poolman
14. Harry Potter
15. James Hendren

Replacements:

16. Folau Fainga’a
17. Ioane Moananu
18. Isaac Kailea
19. Jack Barrett
20. Brady Dawson
21. Siosifa Amone
22. Ben Grant
23. Lachlan Hooper
24. Charlie Gamble
25. Isaac Fonua
26. Michael McDonald
27. Jack Bowen
28. Joey Fowler
29. Archie Saunders
30. Leo Jaques