Wallabies report card: All 31 Nations Championship players rated

Australia finished the first block of Nations Championship matches with a 1-2 record, but those two defeats were against Six Nations juggernauts Ireland and France. The Wallabies were leading those sides at half-time but couldn’t quite hold on for the win.

Instead, the Wallabies brought an end to a six-Test losing streak when they faced Italy at Perth’s HBF Park last weekend. Josh Canham became the first Wallabies lock ever to score a hat-trick, as the hosts ran away with it 57-10.

That was the final Test in the Joe Schmidt coaching era, with new boss Les Kiss unveiling his first squad on Thursday. But before the Wallabies jet off to Osaka to face Eddie Jones’ Japan, let’s take a look at how the 31 players selected rated in July.

Loosehead Props

Angus Bell – 7.5/10
Bell continues to set the bar high with three solid performances in Wallaby gold, which saw the 25-year-old lay down a marker against some of the world’s best sides. The front-rower was one of the top tackles and ball-carriers against the Irish and continued that rich vein of form throughout all three fixtures.

James Slipper – 6.5
‘Slips’ came of international retirement to play for the Wallabies but has since been rotated out of the squad before two Tests against Japan. But the Wallabies’ all-time appearance record holder did the jersey justice in three appearances off the bench, scrumming well and working hard to get involved around the park.

Hookers

Brandon Paenga-Amosa – 8
Paenga-Amosa had to play about 75 minutes against Les Bleus after Josh Nasser left the contest during the early exchanges. ‘BPA’ made an immediate impact against the reigning Six Nations champions, crashing over for a try at Suncorp Stadium. That set the tone for the hooker, who was especially impressive against the French and Italians. Paenga-Amosa contributed to a Wallabies lineout that has already improved significantly, was a human wrecking ball on both sides of the ball, and touched down for another five-pointer against Italy.

Josh Nasser – 7
Joe Schmidt sprung a selection surprise by naming Nasser in the run-on side for the Wallabies’ season opener. Nasser repaid the faith with a strong showing against Ireland, finding lineout targets in some high-pressure moments, but did go missing during periods in general play. The Queenslander left the field early in the team’s second match and was then ruled out of the clash with Italy in Perth.

Billy Pollard – 6
Pollard didn’t feature in the first two Tests but was named in the replacements ahead of the match at Perth’s HBF Park. The ACT Brumbies rake was brought into the contest with just over 20 minutes left, running the ball twice and making three tackles.

Tighthead Props

Allan Alaalatoa – 7
Alaalatoa surpassed the 90-Test career tally during the Nations Championship, and it’s not hard to understand why the prop is revered around the rugby world. The tighthead finished with the second-most tackles completed of any Wallaby against Ireland, and was again fairly prolific in the third Test. At the set-piece, Alaalatoa scrummed fairly well but was bested on occasion by some of the best forward packs in world rugby.

Taniela Tupou – 6.5
Not that this should really be a defining criterion for a tighthead prop, but Tupou finished 12^th overall for running metres in the Wallabies’ second Test. Tupou made a significant break upfield but wasn’t quite able to link up with teammates running in support. The front-rower was solid at scrum time in all three fixtures and helped pressure opposition teams at the lineout. It was a fairly good series of matches for Tupou, who provided impact off the bench each time.

Zane Nonggorr – 5
Nonggorr was brought into the Wallabies’ matchday 23 to take on Italy, with the Queensland Reds prop playing just shy of 30 minutes. The tighthead scrummed fairly well and tried to make an impact around the park, but only ran the ball twice and made three tackles.

Locks

Josh Canham – 8.5
It’s incredibly hard to believe that Canham had only made two international appearances before this block of Nations Championship Tests, and neither of those were starts. Canham was one of the Wallabies’ best in July, wreaking havoc at the set-piece, stepping up in defence, and finishing with four tries. That included a history-making effort against Italy, which saw the 25-year-old become the first Wallabies lock to score a hat-trick. All that said, Canham had an off night against the French.

Jeremy Williams – 8
There was a lot of talk about the omission of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto from the squad, but Australia have unearthed a world-class lock over the last few years. Williams was the most experienced of the four locks selected, and the Western Force skipper was able to make a consistent impact across all three matches, which included an 80-minute shift against France. In attack, defence and of course at the set-piece, Williams produced some solid knocks.

Lachlan Shaw – 5
It was a tough welcome to Test rugby for ACT Brumbies lock Shaw, who was shown a yellow card in the dying stages against the Irish. Shaw was held to a quiet performance a week later in a loss to a physical French side in Brisbane. The two-Test Wallaby was not selected to play Italy, with Miles Amatosero instead chosen to debut.

Miles Amatosero – 6
Amatosero became Wallaby number 998 after coming off the bench in the big win over the Italians in Perth, subbed on with just over 20 to play. The former ASM Clermont Auvergne lock brought physicality to the Test arena, but didn’t really have enough time to make a telling difference or make any eye-catching plays. Instead, this goes some as a good start to life as a Wallaby, but gives the hulking second-rower plenty to build on now under new coach Les Kiss.

Backrowers

Rob Valetini – 8
There’s a reason ‘Bobby V’ has twice been named the John Eales Medal (Wallabies Player of the Year winner). It’s a bit cliché to say this, but Valetini always does the jersey justice, almost always standing up as one of the Wallabies’ best. The backrower set the tone with a game-high 13 carries against Ireland, and continued to stand out with huge shots in defence and menacing runs in the first three Nations Championship rounds.

Fraser McReight – 8.5
The Wallabies gave away a half-time lead against France, falling to a 42-26 defeat at Suncorp Stadium. But McReight still produced one of the best individual performances from a Wallaby in recent memory, as the openside flanker got it done on both sides of the ball. The Queenslander made two tries, finished in double digits for tackles completed, made a couple of turnovers, and made a try-saving effort late in the first half. Injury saw McReight shift to the bench for the next Test, but make no mistake, McReight was world-class in all three matches.

Harry Wilson (c) – 7
You have to admire the way that Wilson goes about his business on the field, leading by example with some tireless work on both sides of the ball. The stats sheet will tell you the Wallabies skipper was quite good in July, while putting in a series of 80-minute shifts. But some missed tackles against Ireland did lead to tries, and some attempted offloads didn’t quite go to hand.

Tom Hooper – 5.5
Hooper only played in the first match, before injury cut his July Nations Championship campaign short. The Exeter Chiefs loose forward only played 12 minutes against the Irish, which wasn’t really enough time to make any real difference. Ireland had taken control of the match’s momentum by that stage, seeing ‘Hoops’ only run the ball once and make five tackles.

Carlo Tizzano – 8
Josh Canham’s hat-trick against Italy stole the show but Tizzano was right up there as one of the best on ground that night as well. An injury to Fraser McReight prompted a reshuffle in the loose forwards, with Tizzano brought into the Wallabies side for his first appearance of the 2026 Test season. The openside flanker was top three overall for total carries with 14, secured a game-high three turnovers and made more tackles than any other Wallaby.

Nick Champion de Crespigny – 5
Champion de Crespigny played 20 minutes off the bench in the 16-point defeat to France, in what was his only appearance of the July internationals. The backrower, who spent multiple seasons in France with Castres, ran the ball seven times during a second half that certainly favoured the visitors at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

Scrum-halves

Ryan Lonergan – 7.5
The Wallabies have found their long-term option at scrum-half. With Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 just around the corner, Lonergan’s rapid passing game and goal-kicking accuracy off the tee shape up as genuine boosts to this Wallabies side. The No. 9 touched down for a try against Ireland and stepped up as the team’s primary goal-kicker in the second and third Tests.

Tate McDermott – 6.5
McDermott scored a try in the two-point loss to Ireland, in what stands out as the clear highlight from the Queenslander’s three appearances off the bench. The scrum-half helped drive the team around the park, just as Ryan Lonergan did, but the second-half falloffs didn’t give McDermott and the Wallabies much front-foot ball to work with.

Fly-halves

Carter Gordon – 7.5
Gordon has only made two appearances for the Wallabies since returning to rugby union from the NRL last year, with injuries keeping the playmaker on the sidelines. But from what we did see of Gordon in Wallaby gold this July, fans should be fairly excited about what the fly-half can bring to the table through to the World Cup on home soil. Gordon set the tone early with a sublime kick for touch against Ireland, and made a rapid break upfield later on. The No. 10’s inaccuracy off the goal-kicking tee is a talking point, but Ryan Lonergan looms as another option moving forward.

Ben Donaldson – 6.5
Donaldson missed two crucial kicks late in the defeat to Ireland, including a potential match-winner after the bell. But it was good to see some former Wallabies defend ‘Dono’ on Stan Sport shows the following week, as those shots at the poles weren’t solely to blame for the Aussies falling short. The fly-half was ruled out of the French Test due to injury, but returned via the bench against Italy. In that Test, Donaldson looked electric at times during the late 16-minute cameo, which included a try in the final few minutes.

Declan Meredith – 6.5
It was a mixed start to international rugby for Meredith, who was brought straight into the run-on side on debut against the reigning Six Nations champions. Meredith couldn’t quite get involved at times and had one or two miskicks out of hand, but also enjoyed some good moments. The pivot was much better a week later against Italy, looking confident as he drove the team around the park and ultimately towards victory.

Centres

Len Ikitau – 8
It’s a real shame the Wallabies will be without Ikitau for their two Tests against Japan, because the 2025 John Eales Medal winner (Wallabies Player of the Year) seemed to just get better and better throughout July. Following a season up north with the Exeter Chiefs, Ikitau linked up in the centres with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in all three Tests. Ikitau is world-class defensively, but the No. 12 also expressed himself in attack – a chip kick ahead for Suaalii against France stands out. The 27-year-old touched down for a try against Italy and finished with an equal game-high 15 carries, which capped off a strong series of Tests from the midfielder.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – 7.5
Suaalii hasn’t played this well since the code-hopper’s unforgettable debut for the Wallabies in late 2024. The outside centre got the ball plenty and was able to catch opposition players out as they scrambled in defence. In the Ireland game, ‘Joey Su’ made a line break late in the first term, but was stopped just shy of the line by fullback Hugo Keenan. But defensively, there’s maybe still some questions over Suaalii’s best fit and whether that’s at outside centre. Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui wants to see Suaalii move away from the No. 13 slot, but new Wallabies coach Les Kiss has already clarified that’s where Rugby Australia’s marquee player will be lining up moving forward.

Back Three

Max Jorgensen – 7
Jorgensen’s best performance out of these three games came against the Irish in Sydney. Jorgensen made three line breaks, which include a stunning burst down the left edge before delivering a try assist pass off to Ryan Lonergan in support. ‘Jorgo’ averaged 53 running metres per game but was a bit quiet at times against France and Italy. The winger had a try ruled out against the Azzurri for an earlier knock-on against captain Harry Wilson.

Dylan Pietsch – 6
Pietsch couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Nations Championship, with the winger diving over for the team’s first points less than three minutes into the Ireland Test. The winger put on some big shots in defence and at the breakdown. But fast forward a week, Pietsch wasn’t able to get into the game against France, having been beaten in the air a couple of times, and wasn’t selected to Face Italy at HBF Park in Perth.

Jock Campbell – 7.5
It’d been a long time between international appearances for Campbell, who hadn’t played for the Wallabies since late 2022. But a standout campaign with the Queensland Reds saw the fullback rewarded with a spot in the Wallabies starting side to face Ireland. Campbell set up Dylan Pietsch for an early try before touching down for a five-pointer himself soon after. The 31-year-old was safe under the high ball and provided another playmaking option. Campbell shifted to the bench for the France Test and was unlucky not to have been selected at all the week after.

Tom Wright – 7.5
Wright was good off the bench against Ireland but took things to a completely different level in the other two Tests. The fullback was brought into the run-on side to face the French, kicking two pinpoint 50/22s, before being shown a yellow card during the second term. Wright scored a try against Italy last weekend and thought he’d set up Max Jorgensen for a five-pointer soon after, only for that effort to have been scrubbed out by the TMO.

Harry Potter – 8
Coach Joe Schmidt went in another direction for the third Test, with Potter brought into the First XV on the left wing. Potter hadn’t played against either Ireland or France, but took this chance with both hands at Perth’s HBF Park. The winger didn’t score a try, which is usually the go-to criteria when assessing an outside back’s performance, but it didn’t matter – stealing the show with a game-high 149 running metres. That was almost 100 metres more than anyone else. Potter made a high-game four line breaks and carried the ball 14 times.

Filipo Daugunu – 5
Daugunu stood out as one of Australia’s best during the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, but the utility wasn’t able to carry that form into the July Nations Championship Tests. The 31-year-old was bamboozled in defence leading up to one of France’s tries, and Daugunu only ran the ball for eight metres the following week against Italy. In those two appearances, Daugunu only played 25 minutes total, so didn’t have heaps of time to get involved.