The form of Wallabies full-back Tom Wright certainly is curious.
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After returning from a serious knee injury suffered in August last year, Wright understandably remains some way off his best rugby. There has been a general acceptance among Wallaby fans it will take time to see one of their finest players in top form again.
How long should that grace period last? Wright made his Brumbies comeback in mid-April, and started in his favoured number 15 jersey in seven straight games through to their play-off defeat by the Hurricanes in early June. He then went straight into Wallabies camp for the Nations Championship, played three minutes off the bench in the opener against Ireland, but has started in all six Tests since.
So in all, he’s played 13 games and three minutes in five months, and with no major flare-ups or games missed for injury-related soreness. It’s an impressive return after such a severe injury.
Regardless, the concern about Wright’s form is entirely valid, and furthermore, it’s being amplified because of the work of other players. Isaac Henry’s encouraging play at outside centre has many supporters keen to see him paired with Len Ikitau at 12, and despite Henry having just four Tests and two starts to his name, he may already be one of the Wallabies’ best centre options.
And that belief is what is fuelling the latest push for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to be shifted out to the back three; probably to the wing, but maybe to full-back, in place of the fluctuating Wright.
It isn’t so much that Wright is yet to find top gear, but rather his form seemed to drop off alarmingly in the recent series in Argentina. Wright has clearly not reached the heights scaled pre-injury in 2025, never mind 2024, when for club and country he played the rugby of his life. That was an incredible response from his still mystifying omission from the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad. But Wright had been building gradually since regaining match fitness, only to seemingly disappear from view in the Puma Trophy Tests in San Salvador de Jujuy and Mendoza.
Wright has always been a ‘rocks or diamonds’ type, though the diamonds in his game were much more prominent in 2024 and 2025.
Wright has always been a confidence player, and like all the best attackers, is at his most threatening when playing behind a team making metres and asking major questions of opposition defence. He has similarly always been a ‘rocks or diamonds’ type, though the diamonds in his game were much more prominent in 2024 and 2025. The rocks were never eradicated completely, just not nearly as abundant. He’d found a greater level of consistency.
But in 2026, with the confidence already dented from the knee injury, he had to play behind a Brumbies team which won only two of the seven games he featured in as they limped toward the Super Rugby Pacific finals.
Then, he’s gone straight into a Wallabies programme trying to transition from Joe Schmidt to Les Kiss, and which has been as up and down as always. They started very well against Ireland and France but were run down. They ran up a score over Italy, battled with the conditions against Japan in Osaka, and then recorded another handsome win over the Brave Blossoms in Townsville.
The maddening nature of the Wallabies was a constant; from week to week, and even from half to half. Wright’s own form has oscillated with it.
If there’s a common thread to Wright playing well, it shows up in his involvements. Throughout last season, Wright’s best games coincided with high numbers of carries, kicks in play, passes, line breaks and defenders beaten. And that thread was starting to come through again in 2026. Kicks in play and passes were up as he injected himself into games more often, and his line breaks and defenders beaten were creeping up too. Against Japan in Townsville, he made 10 carries for 80 metres, two line breaks, two offloads, and beat seven defenders. He recorded line breaks in four straight games, finishing with that big win in North Queensland.
But against Argentina, his involvements fell off a cliff. Five carries for just four metres in San Salvador and not a line break or a defender beaten. In Mendoza, a few more carries but fewer passes and kicks.
Perhaps the answer to the Wright conundrum might also be the answer to the question the Wallabies hierarchy needs to start addressing: selection consistency.
Wright last year conceded just over one-and-a-half turnovers per game, and for the first six games in 2026, this was down to 1.1 per game. And then suddenly in Mendoza, three. After averaging three defenders beaten per game last year, it was down to 2.2 per game this year – but only one across both games in Argentina.
With so much forced positional switching in Argentina, it’s probably no surprise he hasn’t been as influential. One minute he’s playing second receiver to Carter Gordon, the next it is Ben Donaldson, and then from left field, Ryan Lonergan. He’s chimed in as the extra man – or tried to – outside four different centre pairings in seven games this season.
So perhaps the answer to the Wright conundrum might also be the answer to the question the Wallabies hierarchy needs to start addressing: selection consistency.
With fewer moving or revolving or shuffling parts in midfield, that may provide Wright with the familiar platform on which to construct his considerable attacking game.
With Kiss himself conceding he needs to start putting more pieces of the Wallabies World Cup puzzle into place, this might help Wright regain the confidence and comfort to assert himself.
Because when he’s playing with confidence, everyone knows Wright is a far more dangerous player.
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The penalty he gave away at halftime against the Pumas means he must be dropped. It would set a very bad tone for the team for such arrogance and selfishness to be rewarded. He has too many flaws in his game to be indulged in.
It appears Cheika is going to play JAS at fullback next year so get him there now or at least on the wing.
What I find surprising, is that to this point no one is writing about Wright’s atrocious tackling technique (if you can call it that). He seemed to have improved over the past 2 years, but this year, his technique has been absolutely horrible.
I wouldn’t even call it a technique. It’s best described as putting his body in the way of an attacking player and to hell with technique.
With Argentina defending their unbeaten series victories against Australia at home, is it really surprising?
“In Mendoza, a few more carries but fewer passes and kicks”. I don’t mean to be rude, but wouldn’t that be logical? If he is carrying more, then his passes and kicks would be less no?
No, the full par gives you the context, Pi2M:
So he carried bit more than in San Salvador, but passed and kicked less. And the point being, that his total involvements in each of the Agrentina games was well down on previous games..
I thought he was feeling his way at the Brumbies but was getting back to his best for the Wallabies during the two Nations Championship games. Since then he has seen little possession through the hands and the kicks have not come his way. As you say he is a confidence player and more likely to make mistakes with so few touches.
I thought Henry was supposed to be a 12 but Kiss seems determined not to give him a run there. Unless we beat the ABs we get into a relatively easy run to the final on the England/Ireland/Argentina side of the draw. A little bit more improvement and a conservative game plan based around the forwards will get us there with a little luck and no great advance in form from the other sides.
Not very inspiring and unlikely to turbo charge the growth of the game but should get an uptick in attention and revenues.
Hear hear. Time to settle on a preferred starting backline and change it only for rest and rotation, or injury. As you say, Wright would benefit from the consistency, and he wouldn’t be alone in that.
We haven’t played the world’s best 13 at his best position in 2 years, FFS. If that means Hunter starts at 12 or we finally give Joseph a start at 12, where I believe he is best suited, then let’s make it happen.
I, too, am aboard the JAs at 12 train.
Wright has three issues. First his judgment. He makes a lot silly decisions. He and Tate McDermott have the worst judgment in the squad. Second he is poor, relative to other international fullbacks, under the high ball. Third his defence is poor. Better off getting the most out of Lomax at 15 before he goes to league. He is great under the high ball and has clutch goal kicking. Campbell also a steadier option.
I can’t agree Lomax is a better option at 15 AM. And I’m still not sure Campbell is either, but he’s definitely next in line..
Wright’s head is not yet right after his injury, I think similar issue with Tate. I would keep Whright where he is and rotate with Jock, wright has only really had 1 bad game out of the last 4. I’m at this stage thinking Tate is not a viable option and they need to start looking at Teddy Wilson and Henry Robertson. I don’t think Kolani Thomas is anywhere near test level.
Lomax hasn’t proven himself in union at all really. He isn’t bad under the high ball, I agree, but other than that he is nowhere near international standard. Wright will walk all over him in a test match. The league guys all struggle to get on top of Union defence. Unlike league the opposition is not constantly running right at you.
Against the Boks and ABs Kiss will learn more still and that's a reason to keep seeing which combinations can work right now and which still need more work to become useful.
I don't know if any of these tests is genuinely winnable but I guess we will see which version of the Wallabies turns up. I certainly expect to see more progress in any case.
Without a doubt it's important to try to capitalize as much as possible on the home ground advantage as the end of year is not going to be friendly.
They should be aiming to win back both the Cook Cup and Hopetoun Cup which would be very decent achievements this early into the new program.
As to who is hot and who is not, it's impressive to see not only the depth growing by the inclusion of new people but the reskilling of existing players with many tried in different positions as the games have allowed to see how that can positively affect the performance.
Wright is definitely far from his best but whether it makes any sense to simply drop him cold or continue to switch him up between the back and the wing he still adds something unpredictable even it's not all good.
I'd be interested to see how running Donno at 10 and Meredith at 15 might work or vice versa. And HMP definitely has to get some time in the saddle. The double playmaker setup using dual 10s is a proven strategy and it would be helpful to be able to deploy it ourselves should we want to.
I like the rotational policy they've employed so far as it has already improved the injury situation with far less players out due to injury at this point of the season.
It might be time for Wright to be given a spell just in case he gets reinjured as it's a greater risk when you're fighting for form as you'll take more risks in order to get the rewards and prove yourself.
I agree with most of what you are saying, I just don’t trust Donaldson in a Wallaby jersey. He has let us down time and time again, making elementary mistakes, missing easy kicks, kicking balls out when he shouldn’t and not kicking balls out when he should. He is a prime example of a great super rugby player that can’t step up to the international level. I am hoping Meredith finds his feet, he is also hot and cold and so is HMP. I wish they would harden up mentally, these fellas seem to all crack as soon as they get to the big games. HMP made a number of elementary mistakes in super game on the weekend and Meredith in his tests earlier in the year. It would be great if the 2 youngsters could step up and become genuine options at 10. I would leave Wright where he is but rotate him with Jock. No harm in letting them fight it out.
No mention of Jock Campbell?? He was the most consistent 15 in SR. Even Kiwis were naming him in team of the week! Had two (?) good tests for Wallabies and by far a more complete player then (turnstiles) wright
As I’ve mentioned about Frankie, I’ve tried to find out why Wright’s form seems to have dropped off, not go straight to the point of replacing him..
Poor old Jock! He really got the rough end of the pineapple after a very good game against Ireland, sent into bat for the very first time ever at 10 v France off the pine, then punted. Basically got one game to show his goods, and he delivered in spades. I’ve yet to see a Wallabies coach genuinely pick on form since maybe when the Link was coaching.
I disagree with the chopping and changing causing Wright’s form dip. Joe Schmidt chopped and changed fly half every game and that didn't seem to effect Tom Wrights game. The obvious difference is pre and post ACL rupture. It's commonly known returning from ACL injury increases self protection measures, including reducing pace, limiting contact and minimising change of direction.
Instead what is needed from this situation is for Jock Campbell or JAS to move to fullback and Tom Wright to get himself back into form next super rugby season unless injuries require his services.
Good point about self-protection, Bourkos. I won’t pretend to know what a serious knee injury like that is like, but I can absolutely understand that sentiment..
He’d make a reasonable winger? Imho, he’s a liability at fullback…defence is ordinary and doesnt often read the play and gets caught out of position….he isn’t what I'd want as the Custodian…
Tom Wright on one leg is better than anyone else we have .
Suaalii is untried and Jorgenson has not impressed . Donaldson and Campbell are not test class .
Kurtley Beale still is .
Tom is not far of with his confidence !
Jorgenson has not impressed? How do you figure that Tooly. He has always been a danger in attack and knows how to tackle.
Tom Wright is defending like he has no idea how to tackle and hasn’t got the stones for it TBH.
Beale’s not any more, Tooly…
A fascinating article. Brett you present an approach where selectors should be building a backline around Tom, to suit his recovery and hopeful return to improved from. He is an individual player that is part of a team in which all other players and positions are being rotated, however less so him. Test level players are expected to play amongst a changing roster, adapt their game accordingly, this expectation should not be withdrawn from Tom.
In your article you have not mentioned current proven contenders that could be rotated through the 15 position. This is also a recognized approach to improve an incumbent players waning ability, rest them, rotate them, recognizing they need to improve for selection. I would like to see this for the 15 role. Your article appears to drive maintaining Tom only in that role, regardless of others available, a worthy player at times, but he doesn't own the position, and is not in form. We can't afford that.
In fairness MT, the article is only focussed on Wright and trying to get to the bottom of his form dip. It’s trying to find the ‘why’, not the ‘who next’.
Whether he holds his spot or who might replace him is another debate for another day..
Hi Brett
On the upside, great to have surfeit of backline selection dilemma. For mine, tests are not the venue for players to either regain form, or experience. That suggests Jock as incumbent, until if and when, Joseph’s or Tom’s form at 15 outside tests, displaces Jock.
Cheers
KP
I wouldn’t call Campbell the incumbent, KP. He’s definitely not the incumbent at 15..
Time to pick and stick as you say Brett.
Wright will come good, mistakes at 15 tend to get punished disproportionally but he’s experienced enough to iron those creases (namely isolated on kick returns and wayward cross field kicks) out hopefully
JAS to have a crack at 15 after the RWC and only if he has been playing there for the Tahs (assuming he even sticks around). Hard to justify him trialing at 15 at international level?
It was disappointing to see Jock shunted after the game v Ireland and his super rugby form. He should have been given another crack at 15 v France and Wright made to fight for the jersey
Yeah, I agree with a lot of this Figgers. And I certainly hope he can iron out the creases as you say.
Really good point about fullback mistakes, too..
Les Kiss obviously has never read Ben Darwin’s work. Rugby is best played as a team and the player turnover, not just in the backs, is simply too much. Harry Wilson, appointed captain is not in the best team that we can field.
Well done to Brett to see this influence on the players surrounding the chop/changing of players every week.
Kiss has only coached for a few games fellas. He had to try as many combinations as he could in the last 4 tests, he would have been silly not too. He would have learnt a lot. They will settle down at some stage but their goal is to know as much about different combinations as they can by next year for the World Cup.
Nice one Brett. Wright has always done badly in Argentina - i remember a particularly bad night over there during rennie’s tenure where the ball seemed to be a cake of soap for him at the back. As you say, he is a confidence player and so maybe he just gets the yips over there (which is why I suggested rotating campbell in pre-tour).
My broader Q would be - has Wright had more rocks in his game this year, or less diamonds? I think less diamonds is understandable from the injury in that he may just not be confident in hitting his top speed or to blow through tackles quite like he used to and so may manage less line breaks, this is ok imo. BUT, his injury shouldn’t excuse him from more rocks in his game like dropped balls, mistimed passes, and unforced forearms to argentinian throats on half time. This is the worrying aspect imo and as someone who always had my reservations about him, and then was happily proven wrong, I’m not glad seeing them reappear. I think that Les should rotate in Campbell and Donno into 15 just to rest him and keep him mentally sharp and to see what its like with some different voices at the back (ie build injury depth for RWC). Neither of those two are the attacking threat wright is, but what the wbs might need more is another game manager, defensive communicator and link man given the inexperience likely at 10, and these other two may provide a horses for courses option there. I would rather anyone but suaalii at 15 for all the same reasons he has struggled at 13, too much thinking and learning on the trot rather than being on the wing with freedom.
Yeah, it’s a really good question NH, and I agree with you that it’s probably less diamonds. I think his error rate has been pretty consistent, but certainly not as many highlight moments this season, for either the Brumbies or Wallabies..
I think people are reading too much into it. Wright has made a few mistakes in last few tests but only really had 1 bad game, second test against Argentina. He is Wallabies no.1 and needs to play as much test rugby as he can. I don’t have a problem with Jock on the bench and being used to give Wright a rest though but in my opinion Donaldson is not an option. Donaldson has had enough chances in international rugby, I think he has proven that he doesn’t have big match temperament. He is great in Super Rugby but he just cannot handle international level, constantly makes mistakes, far more than Tom Wright ever has.