The Wallabies have flipped their starting pack and rested captain Harry Wilson ahead of their rugby Test against Argentina in Jujuy. Coach Les Kiss aims to build two competitive squads and future-proof his team just a year out from the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
The Australian rugby team arrived in the northern Argentine city of Jujuy facing a finite runway ahead of the most important year for the sport in a generation. With barely a year until Australia hosts the World Cup, coach Les Kiss has initiated a dramatic personnel shakeup, completely flipping his starting pack for the weekend fixture.
Squad Rotation and the 2027 World Cup Strategy
Kiss rested regular captain Harry Wilson while handing the captaincy armband to prop Allan Alaalatoa in the absence of Fraser McReight. Meanwhile, versatile loose forward Rob Valetini steps into the lineup, and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii takes a spot on the bench with potential game time at winger or fullback.
“I need to know that I’ve got two good XVs, That’s what I need to get to and yeah, as the games get tighter, there might be a little bit more repetition of certain people in certain positions for sure, but I think it’s right to give these guys a real shot at it and raise that competitive dial.”
Les Kiss, Wallabies coach, via Theguardian
The Wallabies have eight matches left to play in 2026, including the upcoming two in Argentina, one in Perth against South Africa and the home-and-away Bledisloe Cup, before a three-match Nations Championship tour in the UK. Kiss acknowledged that opportunities to experiment are shrinking rapidly as the tournament approaches, stating that as they get further into the year, there will be fewer opportunities to do the things currently being tested.
Assessing the Threat of Los Pumas in Jujuy
Australia sits at seventh in the World Rugby rankings, one place behind Argentina heading into the weekend. While Argentina is missing several players due to European club commitments—including captain Julián Montoya—the side is unchanged from the side which lost narrowly 17-10 to South Africa earlier this month.
“They’re a bloody brilliant team with ball in hand, particularly when they’re in flow. If we turn off at any given time, they’ll punish you in the loose [open play]. Quick taps, quick throws, they’ll attack from deep, they’re bloody dangerous for sure.”
Les Kiss, Wallabies coach, via Theguardian
The match takes place at the 25,000-capacity Estadio 23 de Agosto in Jujuy, the northern city which is the 15th largest in Argentina with a population of not much more than 300,000. Wallabies fullback Tom Wright noted the intense local sporting culture, remarking that a couple of the guys in their first experience there made note of that culture around whether it is rugby or soccer, noting that fans are certainly full of beans.
Backrow Competition and Leadership Continuity
Australia’s fluidity in the backrow creates intense selection battles across the pack. Despite missing this weekend’s game, Harry Wilson has been backed to retain the captaincy this year.
“It’s not taking the eyes off a dangerous Argentinian team, it’s a good side that they’ve picked. It’s focusing on what our strengths are, and how we can utilise our different strengths in a way that allows us to be a bit future-proof when we need to be.”
Les Kiss, Wallabies coach, via Theguardian
With the competition ramping up across all positions, the Wallabies look to cement a resilient, future-proof game plan before hosting the global tournament next year.
