Carter Gordon will play for Australia for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being selected by Joe Schmidt for the Wallabies’ starting XV against Italy.
‘Worst I have seen them ever’: Brutal reality check for ‘woeful’ Wallabies after loss to England
Rising star Henry Pollock came off the bench to score a key try as England began their quest for an unbeaten Autumn Nations Series campaign with a 25-7 win over a lacklustre Australia at a rainswept Twickenham.
‘There’s no way’: Wallabies captain fires back at England’s ‘illegal’ breakdown tactics claim
Australia captain Harry Wilson has rejected claims the Wallabies use illegal and dangerous breakdown tactics as they prepare to face England.
Wallabies firing again in time for England clash after return to free-running DNA
Victory over hosts at Twickenham 12 months ago proved a launchpad for Australia to begin climb back from nadir
If only Henry Slade had managed to stop Ben Donaldson getting that offload away, if only Ollie Sleightholme had been able to make that wrap-up tackle on Len Ikitau, if only Marcus Smith was able to catch Max Jorgensen. But Slade didn’t, Sleightholme couldn’t, Smith wasn’t, and Jorgensen scored in the corner. This time last year the Wallabies beat England 42-37, their first victory against them at Twickenham in nine years, and it was, the players will tell you themselves, the moment when everything changed. “This game last year was a big turning point for us as a group,” says the Australia captain, Harry Wilson. “It really made us believe that on our day we can beat anybody in the world.”
Twelve months ago England weren’t worried about the Wallabies so much as they were worried for the Wallabies. The one thing an Australian team doesn’t want is pity, but that’s what they got. They had won two Tests out of nine in 2023, when they embarrassed themselves at the World Cup, and, after a few months during which he seemed to spend most of his time bowling around in a cork hat and shouting at everyone about how rubbish Australian rugby was, their head coach Eddie Jones had defected to Japan. A couple of their better players had hopped codes to play in the NRL and they had dropped to ninth in the world rankings. It was all getting a bit existential.
Continue reading...Australia’s Harry Wilson rejects claims Wallabies use illegal breakdown tactics
Borthwick has highlighted entering rucks from the side
Wilson denies Wallabies use dangerous or illegal tactics
Australia’s captain, Harry Wilson, has rejected a claim made on the eve of their clash with England that the Wallabies use illegal breakdown tactics.
The Daily Telegraph reported that England head coach, Steve Borthwick, has highlighted Australia’s alleged ploy of deliberately entering rucks from the side when he met referee Nika Amashukeli before Saturday’s Twickenham showdown. Player welfare concerns were also raised over the tourists’ approach to clear-outs.
Continue reading...England accuses Wallabies of ‘illegal’ tactics as Australia reveals eight changes for first Test
The fuse has been lit for Saturday’s first autumn Test against England after reports emerged over in the UK that the Wallabies have been accused of “illegal” breakdown tactics.
Borthwick hopes England can emulate Bazball mentality for autumn series
Head coach and Wigglesworth meet Brendon McCullum
England face Australia on Saturday awaiting ‘Borthball’ era
England’s rugby players are seeking to emulate the Bazball ethos of their cricketing counterparts and strike a pre-emptive blow for the nation in the run-up to the forthcoming Ashes series. Steve Borthwick and members of his coaching staff have had discussions with Brendon McCullum and want their team to make a fast and furious start against Australia in the Quilter Nations Series on Saturday.
There is a collective desire within the England camp to make a statement over the coming month and Borthwick and his defence coach, Richard Wigglesworth, have been picking McCullum’s brain on the best ways to encourage a positive mindset. “We met Brendon McCullum and his coaching staff a few weeks ago,” said Wigglesworth. “We had a sit down and a coffee in Manchester which was very enjoyable.
Continue reading...Tane Edmed keeps Wallabies fly-half spot with Carter Gordon’s return put on hold
Gordon believed to be struggling with quad strain
Tighthead prop Tupou is back in the starting XV
Tane Edmed will take the Wallabies’ playmaking reins again against England as Carter Gordon’s eagerly awaited return to international rugby union has been put on hold.
Gordon, the eight-Test fly-half who played at the last World Cup for Australia before sensationally leaving the code to sign with the Titans, has secured a release from his NRL deal to join the Wallabies’ tour.
Continue reading...Australia will target Freeman at centre in England clash, George Gregan warns
Former captain says defensive questions will be asked
Freeman switching from more familiar role out wide
The former Australia captain George Gregan says they will target Tommy Freeman’s defending at outside-centre for England on Saturday.
Steve Borthwick’s side kick off their autumn campaign at Twickenham against opponents who consigned them to a dramatic late defeat last year, and the head coach has made some notable selectorial calls.
Continue reading...Rugby union 2025: England team to face Wallabies at Twickenham, George Ford flyhalf as Marcus Smith omitted, news, video
George Ford has won the race to be England’s starting fly-half against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), with Fin Smith on the bench and Marcus Smith omitted from coach Steve Borthwick’s matchday 23 entirely.
‘Don’t think it needed to be that tense’: Wallabies survive almighty scare against gutsy Japan
Australia survived a second-half comeback to beat Eddie Jones’s Japan 19-15 in a wet Tokyo and get their five-Test tour off to a winning start on Saturday.
Australia hold off brave Japan in Tokyo Test – as it happened
Wallabies defeat Cherry Bolossoms 19-15 in Tokyo
Australia hold in wet slog for victorious start to spring tour
Japan National Stadium, home of the 2020 Olympics, has absorbed plenty of moisture over the past 24 hours, and today’s match is likely to be played in persistent light rain. There is little wind to report.
As has been the case for what seems like two decades, it’s near impossible to appraise where the Wallabies are at.
Continue reading...Wallabies change 13 starters and hand captaincy to two-Test rookie for Japan clash
Nick Champion de Crespigny to captain Australia in Tokyo
No place for Carter Gordon after return to union from league
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has rested a host of stalwart campaigners and changed all but two of his starting side for Saturday’s Test against Eddie Jones’s Japan, which opens Australia’s end-of-season tour.
Schmidt has kept only halfbacks Tane Edmed and Jake Gordon from the starting team that lost to New Zealand at the end of the Rugby Championship with flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny captaining the new-look side in his third Test.
Continue reading...Shock captain as Wallabies reveal new-look squad to take on Japan without a host of missing stars
Flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny will captain Australia in just his third Test as Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt rests a host of players for Saturday’s clash with Japan in Tokyo.
Wallabies star Len Ikitau wins John Eales Medal after ‘exciting’ year
‘Flickitau’ is first centre to win Australia’s top prize
Tabua Tuinakauvadra crowned top Wallaroos player
Wallabies star Len Ikitau has won the John Eales Medal, becoming the first centre to claim Australian rugby’s highest individual honour.
Ikitau enjoyed a phenomenal year in the gold jersey, opening the voting period in spectacular style by delivering the magical match-winning flick pass to Max Jorgensen in Australia’s epic win over England at Twickenham last November.
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