Joe Schmidt named his 37-man Wallabies squad for the Nations Championship on Tuesday, and there is no nice way to say it: a few guys are going to feel like they got sucker-punched. Australia’s outgoing head coach is making his final stand before Les Kiss takes over, and Schmidt is clearly prioritizing lineout efficiency, set-piece aggression, and a certain brand of nasty over reputation.
The most head-turning omission? Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. The 29-year-old lock made the Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Year but still got left behind. Schmidt explained it pretty bluntly: he wants more consistent output and better fitness. For a guy who was already snubbed for the Lions series last year, this one stings. Schmidt said Salakaia-Loto is absolutely in Kiss’ plans down the road, but right now he is not where the staff wants him physically.
Nick Frost getting cut is almost as surprising. The Brumbies lock played 12 Tests under Schmidt in the last two seasons, but he got jumped in the pecking order by teammate Lachlan Shaw. Shaw won 55 lineouts and stole 11 this Super Rugby season. That kind of production is exactly what Schmidt wants to fix a lineout unit that hit just 84% in November. Frost’s injury history this year might have played a part, but it still feels like a gamble.
Andrew Kellaway is another regular who got left out. The Waratahs back is off to play for the Barbarians this weekend, and his dip in form this season probably sealed his fate. James O’Connor also missed the cut after being overtaken by Billy Searle at Leicester. And Noah Lolesio? He chose to go play in the Japanese second division, and the coaching staff decided to roll with local fly-halves instead. That is how you end up on the outside looking in.
But Schmidt did make some interesting bets. Three uncapped players made the squad, and the most talked-about is Miles Amatosero, the Waratahs lock who punched teammate Angus Scott-Young in the preseason and got suspended for four games. Schmidt basically said the guy has the right size and mentality, which is a diplomatic way of saying he likes having a brawler in the second row with Will Skelton out with a ruptured Achilles. Amatosero is not a like-for-like replacement, but he fills the same physical space. Maybe that is enough.
Another uncapped Brumbies duo is Declan Meredith and Lachlan Shaw. Meredith stepped into the No. 10 jersey after Lolesio left and played the Brumbies into the playoffs. Shaw did the work at lock. Both earned their spots. The third uncapped player is Amatosero, and Schmidt admitted the team has a long-term vision for him even if the short-term need is urgent.
Schmidt also brought James Slipper back from international retirement after a coffee meeting. The 37-year-old is Australia’s most capped Test player and fills a massive leadership gap after injuries hit the loosehead prop stocks. Slipper is not a long-term answer but he is a steady hand against France and Italy, two teams with grunty scrummaging packs.
Carter Gordon gets another shot at fly-half after recovering from a rough NRL stint and a tough November. Ben Donaldson is back too after getting cut last year. Schmidt told him to work on consistency, contact area defense, and high-ball security. Donaldson did the work and got recalled.
Matt Faessler getting left out is weird. The hooker scored two tries against France in November and had a strong season, but Schmidt went with Josh Nasser, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, and Billy Pollard instead. That decision feels like it could bite the Wallabies if injuries hit the hooker spot again.
Massimo De Lutiis did not make the cut either, which is strange given how much effort Rugby Australia put into keeping him from Ireland. At 22, he has time, but Schmidt could have at least brought him into camp to train. That seems like a missed opportunity.
The squad is a mix of proven talent and calculated risks. Schmidt is betting on lineout efficiency, physical aggression, and young legs. If it works, he leaves on a high note. If it does not, Kiss gets to clean it up. Either way, the next few weeks will tell us a lot about where this team is really heading.
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