Jock Campbell earns long-awaited Wallabies return in team to face Ireland

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has sprung a selection shock ahead of the team’s opening Test of the Nations Championship in Sydney, with Jock Campbell winning the race to start at fullback against world number three Ireland on Saturday.

Campbell hasn’t played international rugby in more than 1,300 days but has been rewarded for a stellar Super Rugby Pacific season with the Queensland Reds. The 31-year-old has been named in the outside backs alongside wingers Dylan Pietsch and Max Jorgensen.

Tom Wright, who was injured three minutes into a Test away to the Springboks in Cape Town about eight months ago, will return to the international rugby arena off the pine. Ben Donaldson and Tate McDermott are the other backs on the bench, with the Wallabies going with a 5-3 split.

Ryan Lonergan has been selected for a maiden Wallabies start at scrum-half, set to link up with Queensland Reds pivot Carter Gordon in the halves. Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will renew their experienced combination in the midfield.

In the forwards, Josh Nasser has been selected alongside two world-renowned props in the front-row. 50-Test loosehead Angus Bell will pack down alongside Nasser and 88-Test tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa.

Western Force captain Jermey Williams and Queensland Reds enforcer Josh Canham are  the two starting locks. Rob Valetini has been named ahead of Tom Hooper at blindside flanker, joining Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson in the loose forwards.

There is one potential debutant in the matchday 23, with ACT Brumbies lock Lachlan Shaw in line to debut for the Wallabies off the pine. Other uncapped prospects Miles Amatosero and Declan Meredith have not been selected this week.

“The group has reconnected quickly and we’ve worked hard over the past week to prepare as best we can for what is an exciting challenge against the number three team in World Rugby,” Schmidt said.

“Kicking off 2026 at a sold-out Allianz Stadium gives the group a huge lift and we are fully focused on earning every bit of that home crowd support on Saturday.”

This is the first match of the inaugural Nations Championship, which is a year-long competition that pits the 12 best teams in men’s rugby against one another. Australia will also host Franc and Italy during the July international window.

The Wallabies are searching for their first win over the Irish since 2018.

Fixture

Nations Championship

Australia

03:10

4 Jul 26

Ireland

All Stats and Data

Wallabies team to play Ireland in Sydney

1. Angus Bell (50 Tests)
2. Josh Nasser (11 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (88 Tests)
4. Jeremy Williams (25 Tests)
5. Josh Canham (2 Tests)
6. Rob Valetini (62 Tests)
7. Fraser McReight (39 Tests)
8. Harry Wilson (c) (36 Tests)
9. Ryan Lonergan (5 Tests)
10. Carter Gordon (9 Tests)
11. Dylan Pietsch (9 Tests)
12. Len Ikitau (50 Tests)
13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (18 Tests)
14. Max Jorgensen (20 Tests)
15. Jock Campbell (4 Tests)

Replacements

16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (25 Tests)
17. James Slipper (151 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (68 Tests)
19. Lachlan Shaw* (uncapped)
20. Tom Hooper (22 Tests)
21. Tate McDermott (50 Tests)
22. Ben Donaldson (19 Tests)
23. Tom Wright (43 Tests)