Joe Schmidt finds new leader as Wallabies' captaincy curse strikes again

After making the Wallabies No.7 jersey his own, Fraser McReight is now following Michael Hooper into the Test captaincy after being named to lead the Australians against South Africa in Cape Town.

McReight will become the Wallabies’ 91st captain in their Rugby Championship Test on Saturday (Sunday 0110 AEST) after the 26-year-old was called on to replace Harry Wilson, who is sidelined with a knee injury.

The Queenslander continues a long line of openside flankers to have skippered the Wallabies, including Hooper, David Pocock, George Smith, Phil Waugh, David Wilson and Simon Poidevin.

McReight made his Test debut in 2020 but had to wait to be a regular starter with Hooper finally calling time in 2023 after 125 Tests, including 69 as captain.

He has since become one of the first picked in any Australian line-up and was man of the match in their rousing, history-making 38-22 win over the Springboks at Ellis Park.

McReight took over the captaincy late in the match when Wilson limped off with coach Joe Schmidt saying that “continuity” gave McReight, a former Australian under-20s captain, an advantage.

The choice was made easier with many of Australia’s most recent captains out injured.

Schmidt said McReight, who has now clocked 30 Tests, was a player who delivered with his actions.

“He was captain in the under-20s when he was in the age-group arena, and he’s a quiet leader,” Schmidt said.

“I don’t think we need someone who’s remonstrating or saying a lot, we just need someone who’s going to demonstrate the right performance on the field that other people can follow, and I think Fraser has demonstrated that.

“In lieu of alternative choices with Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper, two previous captains for us in the last year, both being out injured, with Harry (Wilson) and Liam Wright both out injured, I wouldn’t say it was a process of elimination because that’s not fair to Fraser, but it was probably not ideal that he’s a first-time captain for us.

“He at least got a little bit of experience in the back end of the game when Harry went off on last Saturday.”

The Wallabies are looking to become just the second Australian side, and first since 1963, to win consecutive Tests on South African soil.

They haven’t won in Cape Town in 33 years.