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Wallabies have starting berths challenged in Super Rugby round 1 teams
By AAP
Bolter James Hendren has unseated Andrew Kellaway and will debut at fullback for the NSW Waratahs against a Queensland Reds team already dealing with key injuries ahead of the season opener.
The Waratahs host the Reds on Friday at Allianz Stadium headlined by Test wingers Max Jorgensen and Force recruit Harry Potter, with Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii at outside centre.
It won’t be regular Wallabies No.15 Kellaway at the back though, after the 30-year-old was left out by coach Dan McKellar in favour of Hendren.
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The Randwick talent burst onto the scene in the pre-season to impress McKellar, while Kellaway was on Wallabies duties on the end-of-year tour.
“Kel’s just got to keep working hard,” McKellar said.
“The boys that returned from the Wallaby environment had a really long and challenging 2025.
“An extra week off and just getting some more metres in the legs and … Jimmy Hendren’s performed well and has earned a crack.”
Pete Samu will start in his Waratahs debut on return from French rugby while fellow recruit Folau Faingaa, Angus Blyth and Jack Debreczeni have been named on the bench.
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The Reds’ off-season narrative surrounded how they would navigate a glut of options at flyhalf, having added Carter Gordon and Ben Volavola to a list already including Tom Lynagh and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.
But McLaughlin-Phillips, still just 21, is the only fit member of that quartet and will start alongside livewire scrumhalf Louis Werchon in a surprise 9-10 combination to begin the season.
Reds coach Les Kiss said Gordon could be back next week as he managed a “leg issue” while Lynagh (hamstring) remains a week-to-week case after an injury-riddled finish to 2025.
“Your program’s got to be able to manage injury counts and we’ve got a lot of belief in the young guys and Harry’s doing a fantastic job,” Kiss said of the 21-year-old, who impressed him with his response to Gordon’s signing.
“He put his shoulder to wheel and said, ‘OK that’s what it is’. I’m really impressed; he took on the competitive with two hands.”
Werchon, fresh from an off-season stint with Italian club Benetton, gains a start with Test duo Tate McDermott and Kalani Thomas sidelined.
Test utility Filipo Daugunu and emerging prop Massimo De Lutiis were also unavailable with injury.
Queensland’s injury list leaves coach Les Kiss clutching for bench depth, with emerging talents Finn Mackay and James Martens to deputise at flyhalf and the scrumbase respectively.
Twenty-year-old flanker Vaiuta Latu, who played in a Brisbane reserve grade grand final for Brothers last season, has bolted from the blue to earn a start at No.8 with Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson (knee) sidelined.
Fraser McReight will make his captaincy debut in a Reds team otherwise filled with experience and class, including Chiefs recruit Aidan Ross in the front row.
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Elsewhere, Declan Meredith will start ahead of ACT Brumbies recruit Tane Edmed at flyhalf, with the Test contender to come off the bench against the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
Kadin Pritchard, 21, will attempt to fill the boots of the departed Len Ikitau in the No.13.
Nick Frost has been rested, but James Slipper, currently sitting on 198 caps, will inch closer to breaking the all-time Super Rugby games record of 202.
Off-season Force recruits Franco Molina, Nathan Hastie and George Bridge have been named for their Force debut starts, while prop Harry Johnson-Holmes is back after nearly two years out with knee and ankle injuries.
Kurtley Beale has been named on the bench, with Mac Grearly starting at fullback.
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