‘We threw him in the deep end’: The baptism of fire that turned James Slipper into the most-capped Wallaby

Robbie Deans was in the middle of a generational rebuild of the Wallabies when England arrived for a mid-year tour in 2010 armed primarily with Jonny Wilkinson and a strong forward pack.

Injury had also sidelined some star Wallabies for the first clash in Perth, so Deans sent out a front-row with two caps Test experience between them. Things went as well as you’d expect.

By the time 21-year-old prop James Slipper came off the bench in the 66th minute for another debut, referee Nigel Owens had hammered the raw Australian scrum and given the tourists a penalty try.

“We were looking to expose some next-generation players, and Slips had the cut of a thoroughbred, basically,” Deans told this masthead from Japan.

“We saw great possibility in him … but yeah, we certainly threw him in the deep end.”

With just three Super Rugby caps to his name, Slipper’s first taste of Test rugby was a spine-bending scrum hard up on the Wallaby line. Three collapsed scrums later Owens sin-binned Salesi Maafu, which forced Slipper to shift across to tighthead. Three more scrum resets followed and, despite Slipper putting up a good fight, three more collapses caused Owens to shake his head and award another penalty try to England.

A fresh-faced James Slipper in 2010, and pictured (right) before the Rugby World Cup in 2023.Credit: Getty

Six scrums, five minutes, two positions and a penalty try. Welcome to first grade, son.

“Subiaco Oval – I’ll never forget that night,” Slipper said.

“I got put on into a five-metre scrum and ended up playing both loose head and tight end. They ended up with a penalty try. It was a tough encounter, especially for me on debut. But until this day, that’s still my favourite game.”

Deans: “Slips stood up, and he has done that ever since. That’s what you want.”

The Wallabies hung on to win the Test and, in 15 short minutes, young Slipper had earned his stripes. The Gold Coast-raised prop soon became a mainstay for Deans, and 14 years and six Wallabies coaches later, Slipper is still going strong.

Now 35, Slipper was named on the Wallabies bench to play Argentina in Santa Fe on Sunday for what will be his 139th Test appearance. It will bring Slipper alongside George Gregan for the most-capped Wallaby player of all time, a record that has stood since the legendary halfback retired in 2007.

Barring misfortune, Slipper can claim the record outright in Sydney against the All Blacks later in the month.

“It’s a proud moment for me. It’s one of those things; you set out in your career and you don’t really expect to get that many games,” Slipper said.

“So I’m very lucky. I feel like I’ve had a lot of luck. My timing’s been good and a lot of hard work’s gone into it.”

Slipper captained the Wallabies for the first time in 2015 against the USA but fell out of the picture after suffering an Achilles rupture in 2017, and then receiving a suspension in 2018 after personal issues led to a positive drug test and him getting the boot from the Reds.

James Slipper in action against the Pumas in 2023.Credit: Getty

“I remember saying at the time that I didn’t know if I was going to play again. Thinking back now, the Wallabies wasn’t a goal of mine at the time, to get back into the international team. It was more about sorting out my life and getting back playing rugby of any sort,” Slipper said.

“That was at the Brumbies. I look back now, it was obviously a bit of adversity in my journey. But it’s probably paved the way for where I’m at now.”

Slipper moved to Canberra in 2019 and rebuilt his life and career. He went to the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, returned as an occasional Wallabies captain and has steadily ticked off records of all sorts. He is the most-capped Australian in Super Rugby, too, with 183 games.

“It is quite an achievement in what he has been able to do in his career,” Deans said.

“Obviously it hasn’t been straightforward and he has had to deal with adversity, but that’s one of the key skills any player needs. It is how you respond to those challenges that counts, and he has just kept coming. And growing.”

Slipper jokes that much has changed in the Wallabies environment since 2010 – “the music has changed a fair bit” – but 138 Tests of hard-earned experience translates to a captive audience when the humble veteran speaks up, said Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.

“Because he doesn’t speak often, I think the words resonate just a little bit more,” Schmidt said.

“He’s really humble and just gets on with the job. He’s massively invested in the Wallabies. His efforts, no matter where you are or what the requirement is, he’s just really keen to do what’s best for the team.”

A record-equalling Test for Slipper will be memorable at the other end of the scale for Max Jorgensen, who was named on the wing to make his first start, and reserve lock Josh Canham, who is set for a Test debut.

Looking to post consecutive wins after a one-point victory in La Plata, Schmidt was forced to reshuffle his backline due to injuries to five-eighth Noah Lolesio and fullback Tom Wright. Ben Donaldson has been recalled into the No.10 shirt, and Andrew Kellaway shifted back to No.15.

That has also given Jorgensen, 20, the chance to start in only his third Test after two assured cameos from the bench.

In the only other change, injury to big lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto allows Jeremy William to return to the run-on side and Canham onto the bench for the first time. The Melbourne-raised lock was a surprise omission from the July squad after a breakout season for the Rebels, but he was sent away to bulk up by Schmidt and now gets his chance.

Tom Lynagh and Josh Flook also join the bench.

Argentina v Wallabies, live and exclusive on Stan Sport from 4am, Sunday, September 8.