Wallabies’ big winners and unlucky omissions from Top 100 2025

Eight Wallabies have been named in the RugbyPass Top 100 for 2025, with four of those players improving on their position from last year. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Will Skelton are some of the big winners, while others were unlucky to miss out.

While the Wallabies finished their 15 Test season with a 33 per cent winning percentage, individual performances still stood out. Five Wallabies were ranked in the top 55, suggesting the future remains bright for a team that continues to build towards a better tomorrow.

The big winner (literally) – Will Skelton

Will Skelton was the highest-rated Wallaby in the Top 100 with a world ranking of 23. Skelton may have only appeared in five of the Wallabies’ 15 matches this year, but the hulking lock did more than enough to impress fans and pundits alike.

The La Rochelle enforcer spoke with reporters days before the first Test against the British & Irish Lions, leading many to believe the second-rower would suit up that weekend. When the Wallabies team was named days later, Skelton’s name was nowhere to be found.

Skelton was scrubbed out of the first Test with an injury, but gave the team a noticeable lift the following week. The former Wallabies captain was a physical force to be reckoned with in both the second and third Tests, standing out as one of the team’s best.

In 110 minutes against the British & Irish Lions, Skelton tackled with 91 per cent accuracy. Coach Joe Schmidt would later describe Skelton as “a big piece of glue” and “a big influence” during The Rugby Championship, as the Wallaby prepared to return.

Skelton featured in both TRC matches against the Springboks before returning to La Rochelle duty in France, and then flying back to Australia for the second Bledisloe Cup Test. The 33-year-old played less than 15 minutes before leaving the field injured.

As the highest-ranked Wallaby, Skelton is an obvious choice for a ‘winner’ in the Top 100. There are only four locks rated higher than Skelton, with those being Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne, England’s Maro Itoje, and South Africa’s duo of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman.

Biggest omission from Top 100 – Harry Wilson

Harry Wilson was named in the World Rugby Dream Team, but the Wallabies captain was not named in the Top 100. Wilson is arguably the biggest omission from the RugbyPass list, after the backrower led with actions throughout a tough international campaign.

There are big-name players the world over who missed out on a spot in the Top 100, but Wilson is perhaps the most unlucky. Wilson led the charge as a Wallabies team showed grit and fight throughout a difficult season, with the skipper playing the full 80 minutes in 10 of 15 Tests.

Wilson scored the match-winning try as the Wallabies secured a last-gasp win over the Flying Fijians in Newcastle ahead of the Lions Series.

The loose forward’s best performance of the season was one to remember. Wilson crossed for two key tries in the comeback win over the Springboks in Johannesburg – injured while scoring his second.

After missing the Cape Town fixture, Wilson returned for TRC matches against Los Pumas on Australian soil. With the Wallabies down by a couple of points, Wilson famously backed his team to secure a match-winning try, which they did a few minutes after the siren.

The Wallabies are blessed with world-class options in their backrow. Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini and Tom Hooper are worthy contenders to start in their respective roles, but Wilson’s leadership is a difference-maker.

When Wilson is on form, there is no better number eight in the southern hemisphere, and maybe even the world.

Most improved – Len Ikitau

The 2025 John Eales Medallist was one of the big winners from this year’s Top 100, moving up more places than anyone else. Len Ikitau was ranked 95^th in 2024 but surged up 66 places to claim 29^th spot after a career-best campaign in Wallaby gold.

After throwing that match-winning flick pass against England in November 2024 – you know the one – Ikitau went from strength to strength in a midfield pairing with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Those two have combined in some of the most famous wins in recent Wallabies history.

Ikitau broke more tackles than anyone else during the Lions Series with 12, with the home side falling agonisingly short of a win in the second Test before winning the third. The midfielder carried that purple patch of form into a hotly contested Rugby Championship.

The Wallabies clawed their way back from a 22-point deficit to win 38-22 over the Springboks at Johannesburg’s Emirates Airline Park. Ikitau would finish the 2025 TRC with a tournament-high five try assists in six rounds.

Rugby Australia recognised Ikitau as the Wallabies Player of the Year at their annual awards in October, although Ikitau wasn’t there to collect the honour. Ikitau had already moved to Exeter as part of a sabbatical with the sport’s governing body in Australia.

Ikitau is clearly one of the big Wallaby winners from the Top 100. After collecting the coveted John Eales Medal, Ikitau has continued to impress in four appearances for the Exeter Chiefs and has moved up more than 65 places on the RugbyPass list.

Wallabies enforcer misses out – Tom Hooper

When the Wallabies defeated the British & Irish Lions in Sydney, it’s hard to put into words just how much that result meant to the Australian sporting public. After falling painfully short of a win the week before, the Wallabies captured the attention of a sporting-mad nation.

Tom Hooper was brought into the run-on side for the third Test, the third Wallaby to start in the No. 6 jersey in as many matches. Hooper received Player of the Match honours after the 10-point triumph, re-establishing himself as an incredibly important member of that side.

‘Hoops’ started at either blindside flanker or lock in all of his other Wallabies appearances from then on in 2025, and the utility has continued to make his mark up north – starting four matches for new club Exeter Chiefs, who Len Ikitau also plays for.

When Will Skelton or Rob Valetini weren’t available for the Wallabies, Hooper was the one who stepped up in the run-on side. If Hooper were to come off the bench, you best believe the Wallabies enforcer would do a job there too.

Another unlucky omission from the Top 100, but there’s certainly potential for Hooper to rise into the list in 2026. As a lock or flanker, Hooper provides versatility and impact that is simply invaluable for the Wallabies ahead of their home Rugby World Cup in 2027.

The Wallaby with the highest Top 100 potential – Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is one of four Wallabies who improved on their 2024 ranking, with the former NRL flyer moving up 14 spots. The sky seems like the limit for Rugby Australia’s big-name recruit, who has only been in the sport for about 14 months.

Suaalii announced himself to the rugby union world with a stunning Wallabies debut in November 2024, earning Player of the Match honours on debut against England. It sparked a genuine buzz among fans about the direction of Australia’s national rugby team at the time.

The 22-year-old was named in the Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Year at fullback, chosen as a rookie ahead of All Black Will Jordan and Wallaby Tom Wright. Rugby Australia would later recognise Suaalii as their Rookie of the Year after a stellar season for club and country.

In the international arena, Suaalii featured heavily in almost every Wallabies Test during a huge 15-match season. Suaalii linked up with John Eales Medal winner Len Ikitau, as the pair continued to develop their world-renowned centre partnership.

Suaalii almost scored a try in the first Lions Series Test before setting up Wright for a runaway score against the tourists in the second match. The utility followed that up with a meaningful impact in the comeback win over the Springboks in Johannesburg.

Back on home soil during TRC, Suaalii’s two best performances of the year came against Los Pumas in Townsville and Sydney. Suaalii ran in three tries in those two matches, as the Wallabies split that series with one win apiece.

While questions persist about Suaalii’s best position, the code-hopper’s rise in the Top 100 is certainly something Wallabies fans can get excited about. This time next year, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Suaalii ranked even higher among the sport’s elite.

Honourable mention – Tate McDermott

Tate McDermott was injured against the All Blacks at Eden Park during TRC and took no further part in the international season. McDermott wasn’t named in the Top 100, and was no certainty to make the list at the time of injury either, but the scrum-half had turned heads during the Lions Series.

After an impressive Super Rugby Pacific season with the Queensland Reds, McDermott was used yet again as a consistent bench player by Joe Schmidt. Jake Gordon started the first two Lions Series Tests before Nic White was named in the run-on side for the clash in Sydney.

McDermott scored a try off the bench in the Series opener at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, before an injury to Harry Potter saw the No. 9 make a 61-minute cameo as a winger during the thriller at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Wallabies were on the cusp of a memorable win over the Lions in Sydney when McDermott all but sealed the result with a try in the third Test. McDermott played 32 and 68 minutes in the two matches away to the Springboks, continuing to stand out as one of the Wallabies’ best.

Disaster struck 18 minutes into a start against the All Blacks in Auckland, ending the 27-year-old’s season. If McDermott had featured during the Quilter Nations Series, who knows if the Wallaby would’ve made the Top 100, but it certainly would’ve been possible.