Why Wright’s the right call as new Wallabies skipper as coach Joe Schmidt names seven debutants
New coach Joe Schmidt has named a bold squad for his first Test in charge, confirming the new and 89th captain of the Wallabies with seven debutants to face Wales.
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Nominated as a natural leader by his peers, Liam Wright will be the quiet captain taking the Wallabies into a new era on Saturday night.
The South African-born flanker was officially unveiled as Australia’s 89th Test captain when Joe Schmidt announced his team for the match against Wales at Allianz Stadium featuring seven debutants, the most for a Wallabies team since 1980.
And Wright, who has only played five Tests off the bench, takes charge of the team seeking to climb back from a low of ninth in the world rankings and a pool stage elimination at last year’s World Cup.
“I think with Liam, he’s really understated,” Schmidt said.
“He’s a leader in a Super Rugby team anyway, and so he’s got that leadership experience. He was identified by the players as a natural leader in the group.
“He’s a lineout caller, so he already has a responsibility in the team. Not that he calls all the lineout, but it’s one of the things that he contributes to.
“What all the coaches liked about Liam is he doesn’t really say that much, he just gets on and gets a job done really well.”
Wright, 26, starts at blindside flanker and while Schmidt said he is not guaranteed to captain throughout the July series against Wales and Georgia, and beyond to The Rugby Championship, he was chosen because he will play big minutes.
He becomes the seventh different Wallabies captain in the past year.
Schmidt did not ask Wallabies players directly who they preferred as their captain.
“Not about captaincy per say,” he said, “just around the leadership and probably not even asking that question, but just getting a sense of who they feel demonstrated the values and behaviours they would value the most and the players that would naturally lead and that they would try to probably mirror the behaviours that they saw from those people.”
Wright has co-captained Queensland Reds with Tate McDermott for the past three seasons, but has particularly impressed the Reds hierarchy this year under the coaching of Les Kiss.
Reds centre Josh Flook, who will make his Test debut in the No.13 jersey this weekend, said Wright inspires with actions more than words.
“He’ll just be everywhere, he’ll lead from the front foot,” Flook said.
“He’ll run around the field, put his head into the dark places where I don’t want to put my head, that’s for sure.
“He’s not a big speaker at all, but when he talks, you listen. He’s got some very good words to say, so you switch on when he wants to tell you something.”
Following the chaotic Eddie Jones era last year, the Wallabies present a new look under Schmidt with Flook, lock Jeremy Williams, and bench options Isaac Kailea, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tom Lynagh and Dylan Pietsch featuring in the national jersey for the first time.
In this team, only Allan Alaalatoa, James Slipper and Andrew Kellaway started in the previous match against Wales, the record 40-6 loss at the World Cup last September.
“Inevitably there’s going to be things we find out about players, but every moment in a Test match is important,” Schmidt said.
“Every time somebody gets a chance to put on a test match jersey, it’s important. And, we’ve got to be short term focused and make sure we win as many of the moments that matter on Saturday so that we build some confidence in combinations, but also keep the scoreboard ticking over and they are slightly different challenges.
“The scoreboard always helps confidence if it’s if it’s going in your direction. At the same time, having time on the pitch together builds confidence because you build trust through having a relationship where somebody delivers and then you can rely on them delivering.”
Schmidt has placed emphasis on Super Rugby club combinations; Flook and Hunter Paisami in the centres, Wright and Fraser McReight in the backrow, Billy Pollard and Allan Alaalatoa coming off the bench together, along with halves pairing McDermott and Lynagh.
Australia’s faces a Wales team coming off seven successive defeats.
Coach Warren Gatland has gambled with centre Ben Thomas at five-eighth in what will be the 25-year-old’s first Test start.
—SEVEN DEBUTANTS LOCKED IN
Liam Wright has been confirmed as the new Wallabies captain, while coach Joe Schmidt has handed debuts to seven players.
As revealed by CODE Sports on Tuesday, Wright will become Australia’s 89th Test captain when he leads the team against Wales on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium.
The Queenslander starts at blindside flanker, while Western Force’s Jeremy Williams debuts at lock and Reds centre Josh Flook starts in the No.13 jersey.
On the bench, newcomers Isaac Kailea, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tom Lynagh and Dylan Pietsch are all in line for debuts.
If Pietsch takes the field, he will become only the 15th indigenous player to represent the Wallabies.
Test centurion James Slipper will line up for his 135th appearance in the gold jersey, with hooker Matt Faessler earning his first Wallabies start alongside Taniela Tupou who will run on at tighthead prop.
NSW Waratahs captain Jake Gordon will combine with Noah Lolesio in the halves, the pair starting together three times previously for their country.
Reds duo Hunter Paisami and Flook will bring their midfield combination to Allianz Stadium, lining up at inside and outside centre respectively, with Flook the second of two debutants in the starting side.
Tom Wright returns to the side at fullback, with Andrew Kellaway and Filipo Daugunu on the wings.
Billy Pollard is set to make his second Test appearance as the substitute hooker, with Allan Alaalatoa and potential debutant Isaac Kailea the finishing props.
The 206cm Blyth and the athletic Charlie Cale are two others in line for a potential Wallabies debut covering the second and back row respectively.
Tate McDermott will provide spark as the substitute scrumhalf, with his Reds teammate Tom Lynagh set to be just the twelfth son of a Wallaby to pull on the gold jersey, following in the footsteps of his World Cup-winning father, Michael.
Leeton Phantom junior and proud Wiradjuri man, Pietsch rounds out the matchday 23, named on the bench for his potential Wallabies debut.
Schmidt said: “The squad has worked hard over the last week or so to prepare as best we can for what’s going to be an incredibly tough Test against Wales.
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