SYDNEY (AP) — Veteran prop James Slipper has officially returned to international rugby after being named in the Australia squad Friday for the first three Nations Championship matches in July.
Slipper, who foreshadowed his return earlier this week, was joined by the uncapped trio of Declan Meredith, Lachlan Shaw and Miles Amatosero in Joe Schmidt's 37-man squad.
The 37-year-old Slipper, who is Australia’s most-capped international player with 151 test appearances, played Super Rugby for the ACT Brumbies this season and has signed on for 2027. In March, he became the most-capped Super Rugby player after his 203rd match in the southern hemisphere tournament.
The Wallabies will begin the season in front of a sold-out crowd against Ireland in Sydney on July 4 before taking on France at Brisbane on July 11 and Italy in Perth on July 18.
Those first three tests form part of the first Nations Championship which will see six teams from the southern hemisphere take on six teams from the northern hemisphere throughout the year, with a finals weekend held in London from Nov. 27-29 to decide the overall winner.
Fellow loosehead Angus Bell also featured in the Wallaby squad following a season-long sabbatical with Ulster in Ireland. Amatosero, who turned 24 during the week, spent three years at Clermont Auvergne in France.
The British-based pair of Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper and France-based prop Taniela Tupou were also selected.
“There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” Schmidt said. “We’ve settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time.”
Wallabies squad:
Forwards: Allan Ala'alatoa, Miles Amatosero, Angus Bell, Charlie Cale, Josh Canham, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Lachlan Shaw, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.
Backs: Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Carter Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Declan Meredith, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Corey Toole, Tom Wright.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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