Wallabies must outwork Ireland with a team light on gainline threats

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has chosen a fast, mobile, and skilful side for their first Test match of the Inaugural Nations Championship.

The Wallabies will go head-to-head with a vastly experienced Irish side, with Irish coach Andy Farrell naming a relatively established side with an eye on outmuscling the Wallabies in contact.

Schmidt-ball is high possession, low error rate with sweeping backline plays, which puts a premium on breakdown retention and defensive line integrity.

To execute this game style, Schmidt has selected a starting XV of workmen.

Props Angus Bell and Allan Alaalatoa are both high-work-rate players, with Bell an incredible ball runner who busts tackles with his bulk and quick feet.

Alaalatoa is most dangerous at the pick and drive when within 5m from the try-line; few can stop the ACT Brumbies veteran from that distance.

Hooker Josh Nasser is another workman who was the biggest surprise in the matchday 23, with reserve hooker Brandon Paenga Amosa the form rake by all accounts.

Locks Jeremy Williams and Josh Canham are the two most experienced second-rowers in an extremely inexperienced batch.

While Williams is a no-frills kind of lock, Canham is very much the baller, who has deft hands and quick feet.

All the pressure will be on the young Queensland Red, as Canham has been handed the reins at lineout time, an area of the game the Wallabies struggled with the last time they played Ireland.

The set piece operated at a very poor 68 per cent completion rate, a fault in their attacking motor that ultimately robbed them of several point-scoring opportunities.

Fixture

Nations Championship

Australia

03:10

4 Jul 26

Ireland

All Stats and Data

The backrow is the most settled part of the side with two-time John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, who got the most jackal turnovers in 2025 of any player, and captain Harry Wilson.

Valetini made the most carries of any player in the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific competition, while McReight and Wilson were regularly the foundation from which the Reds’ performances were built.

This pack will be charged with laying a platform for the star-studded Wallabies backline, but how they go about this remains to be seen.

Pound-for-pound, and player for player, the Wallabies are actually the same size in both weight and height as their Irish opponents, where the difference comes from is the finer details of the game.

The Wallabies were battered backwards repeatedly by the Irish when the two sides clashed eight months ago in Dublin in the Autumn Nations Series.

At that time, a lack of variation in the Wallabies’ pod system allowed the Irish defence to repel and frustrate the Wallabies’ attack.

Things like motion or a playmaker out the back of pods, tip passes amongst pod members, and footwork at the line all may sound like obvious things, but initially, the Wallabies were very limited in their ball movement and deception.

On Saturday night, the Wallabies cannot afford to overlook the importance of such micro-skills in their pursuit of breaking the Irish streak of five wins in a row against the Aussies.

The game-driving skills of halfback Ryan Lonergan will definitely help this bid for variation and deception.

Much like his Irish opponent, Jamison Gibson-Park, Lonergan is a game driver who has quick service and astute pass selection, which helps to dictate the rhythm of games.

While flyhalf Carter Gordon throws a pass like few others can, he tends to move laterally too early in matches, and it handicaps his centre’s ability to find space.

If the forwards get Gordon front-foot ball, Gordon must ensure he capitalises on it, attacks squarely and perpetuates that momentum.

Centres Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are set for two distinct roles.

While Ikitau will work to give the Wallabies impetus in the midfield with his devilishly sharp step into contact, Suaalii will use his height, brawn, and vertical leap to keep the Irish rush defence on their heels.

While Max Jorgensen can conjure something out of nothing, the Wallabies will need to use the brutality of Dylan Pietsch to soften up the Irish wingers, Ulsterman Robert Baloucoune and Leinsterman Jamie Osborne.

For the Wallabies, despite having incredible X-factor from Jock Campbell at fullback to Bell in the No.1 jersey, Gordon, and Lonergan, must work to stress Ireland through the middle before finding space for Suaalii, Jorgo, and Pietschy out wide.

Those soft skills in the pods, footwork, and a playmaker out the back of pods are all crucial micro skills which must be on display by the Aussies.

Eight months ago, the Wallabies lost that physicality battle in a straight-up bash-fest with the two sides almost fielding identical teams as are to take the field on Saturday night.

Such a direct approach didn’t work last November and won’t work in Sydney on Saturday night either, particularly with the squad and team chosen.

Blunt force trauma will not do in this match for the Aussies; they will require brains as well as brawn, and must show an attacking shape other than pick and drives in the Irish 22m zone.

Last November, the Wallabies took 19 and 11 phases to score their first two tries of the match; the Irish took less than six to score their first three tries combined.

It was so blatant that while the Irish were working off a rehearsed game plan with a common purpose, the Wallabies were relying on a relentless work rate to outwork and out-enthuse the home side.

One way yielded quick tries with minimal effort, the other eventually gave tries after plenty of effort and mental fortitude.

One of the biggest positives of this Wallabies side is that the bench is full of Test caps and plenty of great experience, even with the potential debut of second rower Lachlan Shaw.

If there is one player in this 23 that screams work rate, it’s Shaw. The guy has built a reputation over his last two full seasons in Super Rugby as being an absolute workhorse as well as an offensive ruck specialist. 

There is a genuine concern about whether this Wallabies team can win the gainline battle and whether they will have the defensive starch to keep the men from the Emerald Isles at bay.

However, should the Wallabies find themselves achieving parity in the set piece and in the contact zone, then they have the class, skill, and finishing capability to break their losing streak against the Irish.

It would see the Aussies claim a famous victory in front of a sold-out Allianz Stadium in front of their home fans.