Wallabies takes: Lonergan is No. 1 scrum-half, Kiss’ bench a weapon

Australia remain unbeaten under new coach Les Kiss, prevailing 27-21 in a thriller against Argentina last weekend. The Wallabies are 3-0 under Kiss, which is the same record they started with under former boss Joe Schmidt.

Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Carter Gordon crossed for an early try each, before Fraser McReight got on the board. It was an eight-point ballgame at the break, with defence and calmness under pressure ultimately setting them on the course to victory.

Here are some takeaways.

Does anyone have Panadol?

Regular captain Harry Wilson was rotated out of the matchday 23 for this match, which presented Tom Hooper with a fairly rare opportunity to start in the backrow alongside Fraser McReight and Rob Valetini.

McReight was recognised with Player of the Match honours post-game, while both ‘Bobby V’ and ‘Hoops’ would’ve been in that conversation as well. All three loose forwards were sensational, and so too was Charlie Cale off the bench.

It presents perhaps the biggest selection headache for the Wallabies moving forward, with quality players sure to miss out week to week.

But who misses out? That’s the real question, and one that won’t go away anytime soon.

Wilson was named in the 2025 World Rugby Dream Team after a season full of inspiring performances, including a double in the famous comeback win over the Springboks at Johannesburg’s Emirates Airline Park.

Wilson of course deserves another shot; he is the skipper after all, but the efforts of the four loosies last weekend can’t go unrecognised either. The truth is that a couple of these players are going to miss out week-to-week, with six backrow candidates in the mix.

In the six-point victory last weekend, both Valetini and Hooper were top three for total runs. All three backrowers topped the Wallabies charts for tackles completed, with Valetini standing out with 13 stops.

McReight and Hooper got on the scoresheet with a try each, and the openside flanker also won a turnover. Then off the bench, Cale secured a crucial steal on Argentina’s throw at lineout time.

Carlo Tizzano wasn’t selected in the side to face Los Pumas, but the flanker was right up there as a Player of the Match candidate in two recent starts against Italy in Perth and the triumph over Japan in Townsville.

Locking down their spots

Josh Canham and Jeremy Williams have quickly become essential members of the Wallabies squad. Williams was the most experienced of the four locks selected for the Nations Championship Tests, and Canham has been sensational.

Canham became the first Wallabies lock ever to score a hat-trick in a Test, touching down for three in the dominant win over Italy in July. The USA-born Wallaby has been one of the standouts in just about every appearance this international season.

Against Los Pumas, Canham and Williams combined in a game-changing break down the left edge, which set up Brandon Paenga-Amosa for the opening try in the seventh minute. It was a moment of magic from the two second-rowers, who got the ball in space.

Williams has been a leader at the set-piece, and Canham has proven to be a reliable lineout option as well. Also in the selection frame when available are Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Miles Amatosero and La Rochelle-based Will Skelton.

The lineout was once a problem area for the Wallabies, but it’s quickly become a strength for the men in gold, with Canham and Williams continuing to lead the way with top-tier performances.

The cavalry is coming

Former Wallabies and England coach Eddie Jones once coined the ‘finishers’ term to describe the role of bench players. Of course, everyone wants to start, but the impact of those in jerseys 16 to 23 is utterly crucial.

Tate McDermott spoke with RugbyPass and AAP in Townsville earlier this month about owning that role, with coaches Joe Schmidt and Les Kiss going with Ryan Lonergan in the run-on side this season.

The second-half drop-off of the Wallabies in Tests last year and already in 2026 has been a familiar talking point, with Six Nations juggernauts Ireland and France clawing their way back for comeback wins in the Nations Championship.

But the Wallabies have really shown some progress in this area, with the bench improving as a collective to not just hold onto leads, but to step up in the clutch and deliver when the game is in the balance.

We saw that against Japan in Osaka.

We saw that again last weekend, too.

McDermott was held up over the try line and generally helped drive the team around the park after coming on for an injured Lonergan. Charlie Cale claimed a lineout steal late, and the other replacements forwards also stepped up.

And then there’s Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who was solid enough off the pine.

Suaalii missed the Brave Blossoms Test in Townsville, but returned with a 15-minute cameo off the bench in Argentina. ‘Su’ ran for the second-most metres out of any Wallaby, in just his second appearance off the bench for the national team.

The bench was a real positive in this Test, and it bodes well for the future as well. 13 months out from Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, the sheer impact of the bench is a real positive from the Kiss coaching era already.

Pick and stick

Ryan Lonergan has been superb in a handful of starts this season, despite not having worn the No. 9 Wallabies jersey before the July internationals. The ACT Brumbies skipper has formed a knockout one-two punch with Tate McDermott off the bench.

Lonergan made a couple of important defensive efforts against Argentina before coming off injured about four minutes into the second term. If the scrum-half isn’t named for the second match in South America, the point still remains.

The Wallabies have found their long-term halves pairing.

Lonergan should be considered a certainty to start when fit and available. The 28-year-old has been fairly accurate off the goal-kicking tee, and has been good in general play with a quick passing game.

Then there’s Carter Gordon, who hadn’t logged more than 60-minutes of game time in a single Test since returning from the NRL last October. But the fly-half surged past that tally in a promising performance in the No. 10 jumper.

There have been nine Wallabies since July 2025 that featured at fly-half, but Gordon is the answer. 13 months out from the Rugby World Cup on home soil, Gordon deserves every chance to get more reps in as a member of the starting side.

Kiss of life

The Wallabies are 3-0 under relatively new coach Les Kiss.

It’s the same record the Aussies started with under former boss Joe Schmidt.

But it’s the way they’re winning that is especially exciting.

The Wallabies are digging deep and finding a way to get the job done. Practically every player is nailing their job – Taniela Tupou was the best example against Japan, scoring three tries in two games, and scrumming powerfully well.

Argentina is one of the toughest places for Test teams to visit, but this trip will certainly be regarded as a success, as long as they don’t lose big in Mendoza. Winning is a habit, and you can already see how it’s benefited the confidence of the side.

The Wallabies will soon return home for a clash with the Springboks, before two matches against the All Blacks. Those Tests will prove another insight into the progression of the side, but on current form, it seems unlikely they won’t claim at least one win.