Les Kiss has confirmed his opening lineup as Wallabies coach, retaining the inexperienced pairing of Ryan Lonergan at scrum-half and Declan Meredith at fly-half for the Test against Japan in Osaka on Saturday. Despite having rugby league returnee Carter Gordon and experienced scrum-half Tate McDermott available, Kiss elected to continue with the combination that featured in the final three matches under predecessor Joe Schmidt.
The 61-year-old coach, who took over from Schmidt, emphasized the competitive nature of the squad during his initial weeks. Kiss stated that every player had worked intensely over the fortnight to reach this point, making team selection difficult for the coaching staff. He highlighted that the selected players carry both privilege and responsibility in representing Australia.
Several lineup changes accompany Kiss’s debut. Prop Aidan Ross and second rower Miles Amatosero have earned their first Test starts, with Ross preferred to Angus Bell, who starts from the bench after eight consecutive Test appearances. Hunter Paisami enters at inside centre replacing the injured Len Ikitau. The back three remains unchanged, with Harry Potter and Max Jorgensen on the wings and Tom Wright at fullback. Harry Wilson will captain the side for the 24th time.
Kiss largely maintained continuity with Schmidt’s favored group, with only three new squad additions named in July. Of those newcomers, only centre Isaac Henry was included in the matchday 23, potentially debuting from the reserves. The coaching change comes with limited time remaining before the World Cup, requiring Kiss to develop combinations in key positions while working within the established foundation laid by his predecessor.
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