Unwanted Wallabies duo to start for NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions have steamrolled their way past two Super Rugby teams to launch their Australian tour, but the Waratahs’ coach appears confident of ‘doing the Wallabies a few favours’.
The Waratahs are massive underdogs heading into this Saturday’s showdown against the red hot British and Irish Lions, but coach Dan McKellar is adamant on proving the doubters wrong as he welcomes a few Wallabies back into his starting side.
Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou and winger Andrew Kellaway weren’t needed for Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies team to play Fiji on Sunday, and will run out at a sold out Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Kellaway will be joined on the opposite wing by wider Wallabies squad member Darby Lancaster, while lock Matt Philip and playmaker Tane Edmed will start on the bench.
The Waratahs had some positive moments in 2025, but finished as Super Rugby also rans, winding up in eighth place on the ladder.
It’s why McKellar’s side is a whopping $51 head-to-head outsider with one bookie against a Lions side that is finding form and momentum after two tour matches.
Andy Farrell’s team smashed the Western Force 54-7 last Saturday, before they put on a second half blitz to beat the Reds 52-12 on Wednesday, and there are fears the scoreboard could be even uglier for the Tahs.
In both games, the tourists pulled away in the second 40 courtesy of a reserves bench stacked with the best Test talent in the Northern Hemisphere.
McKellar’s team is up against it, but the coach believes there’s plenty to work with.
“You just gotta put them under pressure,” McKellar said on Thursday afternoon. “They’re obviously a quality side, and as I’ve said to the players all week, it’s a Test match.
“We’re not playing a Super Rugby game. We’re playing a Test team, but they’ve all got two arms and two legs, and you’ve just gotta put them under pressure.”
For McKellar, it’s about maintaining that pressure when the Lions introduce their heavy artillery off the bench.
“Being able to sustain that for long periods of time is the challenge,” he said. “(On Wednesday), up until halftime, it was a real contest.
“We’re up against a good side and we get the chance to prove a few people wrong on Saturday night.
“We don’t want to be happy just to be out there. We want to go out there and perform well and put the opposition under pressure.
“We want to challenge them, do the Wallabies a few favours and try and expose them.”
Although they couldn’t match the Lions’ speed and skill of play, the Force and Reds both enjoyed some success at scrum time, and McKellar wants to bring the same approach on Saturday night.
“A dominant set piece is a big part of what we do,” he said. “Hopefully we get some dominance around scrum time, and with that you get field position, win the penalty count and the game flows from there.”
Which is where 58-Test Tupou comes in.
After starting in the Wallabies’ last Test, against Scotland on the 2024 end of year tour, ‘Tongan Thor’ couldn’t rediscover anything close to his best form in his first season with the Waratahs in 2025.
He faces a tough task in breaking back into a Wallabies squad that features Allan Alaalatoa, Zane Nonggorr and Tom Robertson, but can take the first step against the Lions.
“It’s a great chance for him to really stamp his case for Wallabies selection for the Test series,” McKellar said. “I think Joe would have given him plenty of notice in terms of what the plan was, and let him know he was playing this game – it’s a good hit out for him.
“I want him to go out in the set piece, and back that up with physicality and the ability to repeat it.
“They’re probably the things I talk to tight forwards about every day of the week.
“I want him to be really good around the scrum, lineout and maul and just impose himself on the game, with the ball and without it.”
McKellar has similar hopes for Philip, who has made an immediate impact since joining the Tahs, and will start on the bench on Saturday.
The two-metre tall, Sydney-born second rower has played for the Force and Rebels, and had stints in New Zealand with Southland, and in France and Japan but will finally make his long-awaited debut in a sky blue jersey against the Lions.
“He’s earned the respect of the group really quickly, and I know that was really important for Matt,” McKellar said. “He didn’t want to come in and be a dominant voice.
“He really wanted to make sure he led through his actions and earned the respect through his actions.
“He brings excellent knowledge around the lineout and maul – and he really enjoys mauling.
“It’s nice for Matty to finally make his debut for the Waratahs – he’s a proud New South Welshman and is very proud of this team.”
Tom Lambert starts at loosehead prop for the Waratahs against the Lions, with fellow Sydney University front-rower Ethan Dobbins at hooker.
After a strong finish to the 2025 Super Rugby season, Fergus Lee-Warner joins Miles Amatosero in the second row, with Rob Leota at blindside flanker and Charlie Gamble in the number seven jersey.
Teddy Wilson and Jack Bowen form a talented all-Eastern Suburbs halves combination on Saturday, while Joey Walton and Lalakai Foketi are in the centres.
Lawson Creighton starts at fullback in a dangerous back three alongside Lancaster and Kellaway.
The bench is a five-three split, with Mahe Vailanu, Jack Barrett, Daniel Botha, Philip and Jamie Adamson joining backs Jack Grant, Edmed and Henry O’Donnell.
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