The Wallabies will face England on Sunday morning (AEDT) without their England-based Premiership players in a farce of the World Rugby Test period, but England will finish the match with a packed deck.
The match between the Wallabies and England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium will not be covered by World Rugby Regulation 9, so overseas-based players will not have to be released to the national team, but can be picked up by their national association for a fee paid to the player’s contracted club. England chose to ensure they had their best players, but Rugby Australia did not.
It means Joe Schmidt will be without this year’s John Eales Medalist Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper and James O’Connor, all three of whom have played pivotal roles in the Wallabies’ comeback into 2025.
What makes this situation even more embarrassing for the world at large is that the English Premiership is currently enjoying a month-long break.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, with the Wallabies set to be without Lukan Sarakai Lotto and Josh Canham, who were both injured within the first 20 minutes of last week’s close 19-15 loss to Japan in Tokyo.
Because of this, Coach Schmidt is forced to send an SOS call to Darcey Swain. Swain has not been seen in a Test jersey for the past three years, but most recently impressed for Australia in a 71-7 win against Japan XV two weeks ago.
Nick Frost is likely to return to the starting lineup on Sunday after resting against Japan, and Jeremy Williams has also been in good form at the lineout, but Hooper’s absence is a big mistake for the Wallabies, who could have benefited from Hooper’s strength had he been able to provide a break-down and midfield presence.
O’Connor’s absence also means Schmidt only has two options at fly-half. Young and inexperienced, Tyne Edmed has only played five Tests and started three times in the Wallabies’ top four. Or Carter Gordon, who has just been released by the National League and has not played test match rugby since the disastrous 2023 World Cup in France.
It’s clear that RA see Gordon as the future playmaker for Australia and are determined to slot him into the midfield sooner rather than later, but given that he only returned to the set-up a fortnight ago and is still learning Schmidt’s system, a Test start seems unlikely, with Edmed expected to wear No. 10 against England.
The Wallabies’ inexperience is a body blow for England, who have lost just once to Australia at Twickenham since 2015 – Max Jorgensen’s heroics after last year’s siren have long been credited with sparking the team’s recent resurgence – but Wallabies back-row Rob Valletini said the venue was not on anyone’s mind.
“It’s not for me,” Valetnin told reporters Tuesday morning. “In rugby, it’s just a game and I think it’s obviously great to play at Twickenham.
“I got the chance to play last year and it was a great feeling for the team and I think it’s very special to play in a stadium like Twickenham.”
“I think you try to treat it like any other match, because I think you make it like a high-stakes game and put pressure on yourself to perform well. And to do that, I think you have to try to go with the flow. I think that’s just me.”
The lack of playmaking experience is particularly disappointing given the importance this test, and the entire year-end tour, has on the Wallabies’ 2027 World Cup draw.
The Wallabies, who currently sit outside the top six in the world rankings, will join one of the top six nations in Pool A, which includes France, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. Only multiple wins on the Northern Tour guarantee promotion to the top six and keeping the world’s best players at bay in pool play.
Aidan Ross, the fifth player to represent the All Blacks and Wallabies after taking to the pitch against Japan last week, says world rankings are not a focus for the team.
Asked if rankings matter, Aidan Ross told reporters: “No, I don’t think so.” “I think at the moment it’s a five-game tour and we’re just taking it week by week. Last week it was Japan, but that’s over. This week it’s England.
“I think that’s the mindset at the moment. Every week we have the next job in front of us and that’s England on Saturday.”
The Wallabies will be strengthened by the return of Jorgensen and Josef-Auxo Suari’i, both of whom played integral roles in last year’s victory, with Suari’i named player of the match on his rugby debut, and is expected to partner Hunter Paisami in Ikitau’s absence.
The experience of halfback Jake Gordon and fullback Andrew Kellaway will be crucial to a relatively inexperienced backline, with Dylan Pietsch expected to retain his role. Forward manager Schmidt is expected to recall Fraser McCreight to the back row after a week’s break, along with Harry Wilson and Valletini, who came on as a substitute against Japan.