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00:10

Nations Championship

Three uncapped players in Wallabies squad for July Nations Championship

Finn Morton

Published: 18 June 2026 18:21 PDT
Updated: 18 June 2026 22:10 PDT

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 28: Declan Meredith of the Brumbies is pictured during the round three Super Rugby match between ACT Brumbies and Auckland Blues at GIO Stadium, on February 28, 2026, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

ACT Brumbies playmaker Declan Meredith is one of three potential debutants named in the first Wallabies squad for the Nations Championship, while some others are in line for their first Test appearances in a while this July.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has included a few uncapped prospects in the 37-man squad for matches against Ireland, France and Italy. The Brumbies duo of Declan Meredith and Lachlan Shaw have been named, and so has NSW Waratahs lock Miles Amatosero.

Reds pivot Carter Gordon and Western Force playmaker Ben Donaldson are the other fly-half options named, with Meredith benefiting from a strong individual season with the ACT Brumbies, having started in 14 of 15 appearances.

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Shaw represented Australia U20 in 2023 and later became a mainstay of the Brumbies run-on side, featuring in 14 matches during Super Rugby Pacific 2026. The 23-year-old enjoyed a particularly impressive performance against the Waratahs in round seven, scoring two tries.

The third uncapped player in this Wallabies squad is towering lock Amatosero, who spent time overseas in France with Clermont Auvergne before returning to Sydney. Amatosero has been with the Tahs for the last three seasons, leading to higher honours with the Wallabies.

Another notable inclusion in this side is Reds fullback Jock Campbell, who hasn’t worn Wallaby gold since 2022. Brumbies backrower Charlie Cale is back in the mix as well, after missing last season due to injury.

The Wallabies all-time appearance record-holder James Slipper has been named after initially retiring from international duty last year. Tate McDermott and Tom Wright have been included despite injury-riddled Super Rugby Pacific campaigns.

But there was no place for Reds lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the squad, with Amatosero and Shaw earning selection instead. Reds enforcer Josh Canham and Force captain Jeremy Williams have also been picked, along with utility forward Tom Hooper.

“There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” Schmidt said.

“We’ve settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time.”

Wallabies squad for the Nations Championship

Forwards (20)

Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors, ACT Brumbies, 88)
Miles Amatosero (uncapped, South Coogee Red Devils, NSW Waratahs, 0)
Angus Bell (#940, Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs, 50)
Charlie Cale (#976, Beecroft Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 2)
Josh Canham (#987, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 2)
Nick Champion De Crespigny (#991, Canberra Grammar School, Western Force, 4)
Tom Hooper (#964, Bathurst Bulldogs, Exeter Chiefs (UK), 22)
Fraser McReight (#937, Albany Creek Brumbies, Queensland Reds, 39)
Josh Nasser (#979, Easts Rugby (Brisbane), Queensland Reds, 11)
Zane Nonggorr (#966, Gold Coast Eagles, Queensland Reds, 19)
Brandon Paenga-Amosa (#918, Southern Districts, Western Force, 25)
Billy Pollard (#958, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 20)
Aidan Ross (994, Bond University, Queensland Reds, 3)
Lachlan Shaw (uncapped, University of Queensland, ACT Brumbies, 0)
James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates, ACT Brumbies, 151)
Carlo Tizzano (#982, University of Western Australia, Western Force, 14)
Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby (Brisbane), Racing 92 (France), 68)
Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 62)
Jeremy Williams (#973, Wahroonga Tigers, Western Force, 25)
Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils, Queensland Reds, 36)

Backs (17)
Jock Campbell (#959, Inverell Highlanders, Queensland Reds, 4)
Filipo Daugunu (#931, Wests Bulldogs, Queensland Reds, 20)
Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles , Western Force, 19)
Josh Flook (#972, Brothers Rugby, Queensland Reds, 6)
Carter Gordon (#967, Sunshine Coast Grammar School, Queensland Reds, 9)
Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 50)
Max Jorgensen (#984, Balmain Wolves, NSW Waratahs, 20)
Ryan Lonergan (#993, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 5)
Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 50)
Declan Meredith (uncapped, Barron Trinity Bulls, ACT Brumbies, 0)
Hunter Paisami (#932, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 35)
Dylan Pietsch (#979, Leeton Phantoms, Western Force, 9)
Harry Potter (#989, Moorabbin Rams, NSW Waratahs, 11)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (#988, The Kings School, NSW Waratahs, 18)
Kalani Thomas (#995, Springfield Hawks, Queensland Reds, 1)
Corey Toole (#992, Wagga Crows, ACT Brumbies, 6)
Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles, ACT Brumbies, 43)

Unavailable for selection
Ethan Dobbins
Folau Fainga’a
Langi Gleeson
Jake Gordon
Zac Lomax
Tom Lynagh
Kadin Pritchard
Henry Robertson
Tom Robertson
Blake Schoupp
Will Skelton

Comments

27 Comments

LondonAllBlack 45 days ago

Daugunu should wear the number 13 jersey.

PM 44 days ago

Reckon he might under Les Kiss. Has the grunt to switch into the back row later in the match too. Very valuable, versatile player

LondonAllBlack 45 days ago

Andy Muirhead is unlucky. I thought he was pretty good for the Brumbies.

I am not convinced about Cale. He simply does not have enough muscle mass to compete at international level.

Then the omission of LSL is very strange. It needs to be explained.

PM 44 days ago

Cale does look too lean. Seems to have got stronger though in contact but he’s not gonna be a typical 8. Has some real upsides in other ways.

Muirhead has been unlucky for years. Never gets an invite to a Wallabies squad. Deserves a look-in. Not flashy but just a very sound back

mJ 45 days ago

I think Cale would be fantastic on the bench and bring real impact. Our bench should be full of guys who can change it up rather than like for like. Cale is an athlete who can also play heads up rugby.

Sleaveheart 45 days ago

LSL would have been one of the first picked if I was selecting in a pack that looks extremely light on starch!I can’t see Ireland or France C quivering in their sheets after this selection. The sooner Kiss comes in the better as he surely can’t feel the same way about LSL. Canham is solid I never knew he was an enforcer. Looking forward to him enforcing away. It’s not easy being an Australian rugby fan 😮😱😵

JW 44 days ago

And you would against LSL?

KwAussie 45 days ago

No LSL and Amatoseru and Canham both selected is a bit off. LSL has been twice the player Amatoseru is and plays rugby rather than act like a tough guy on the field. Amatoseru reminds me of Swinton, acts tough but gets shown up by good players on the field. Best lineout in Super rugby was Swain and Williams with BPA throwing in. Seems strange to break that up.

Glad Joe is picking for the Wallabies and not the ABs.

Bazzallina 45 days ago

Listening to Joe sounds like they are using opportunity to get the new locks sometime on paddock in environment while they can and they all look the goods imo also gives Lukhan and Frost time to get bidies right think Potter is bit lucky like the versa of the 3 10s hope Oz goes well

Tah Man Too 45 days ago

Yeah. Had to be rest for those blokes LSL was easily the form second rower but I think he just had a kid, so maybe that's why he's out. Frost has been struggling with form and looks tired. That long season last year wrecked him. Good to see two new blokes getting a run, but we'll miss the yards LSL makes around the ruck.

Jez Nez 45 days ago

Cannot believe Lukhan missed out.

Should have been the first picked lock

PM 45 days ago

Hope Les is up for giving him a run. Second row looks vulnerable. Will Hooper play there? I like Shaw or Amatosero as Wallabies in time but it's thin and vulnerable there

Rugby3 45 days ago

It’s just vindictive.

KwAussie 45 days ago

It’ll certainly be interesting to hear why although I suspect we’ll get the standard “The selectors and I feel the others give a better combination” or some other banal response

cnw 45 days ago

Surely its a typo? As in the whole line was missed?

Ting Tong 45 days ago

It does not get any better. Nothing there that I could get excited about, plus a few proven failures included.

unknown 45 days ago

No Angus Scott-Young the best 8 on form or Lauchie Anderson who is a complete winger !

Tah Man Too 45 days ago

ASY was very good, especially at the back end of the season in a pack with not much go forward. I think he had better form than Bobby V, who looks flat at the mo. Tom Hooper has to start at 6.

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