BRISBANE, Australia – A devastating wave of injuries to Australia’s starting flyhalf options has cleared a path for 27-year-old Declan Meredith to make his long-awaited test debut for the Wallabies this Saturday, when the side takes on back-to-back Six Nations champions France in the latest round of the Nations Championship.
Hailing from Cairns in Australia’s tropical far north, Meredith joined the Canberra-based Brumbies franchise ahead of the 2023 season. His selection this weekend marks a remarkable milestone: he will become the sixth different player to start a test match in the coveted No. 10 flyhalf position for Australia since July 2023, a statistic that underscores the depth of the Wallabies’ current injury crisis at the role.
The latest absences that opened the door for Meredith came after last weekend’s narrow 33-31 defeat to Ireland. Carter Gordon, who started the match at flyhalf, came away with an injury, while replacement Ben Donaldson – who missed a late match-winning penalty that would have sealed an upset win over Ireland – was also ruled out of this weekend’s clash. Meredith will partner with his Brumbies teammate scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan to form an entirely new halves combination for the Wallabies, the latest in a string of new pairings the side has fielded over the past year.
Over the 12 months leading into this match, Australia has already turned to five different starting flyhalves: Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, James O’Connor, Tane Edmed, and most recently Carter Gordon. The only other change to the Wallabies’ starting 15 sees fullback Tom Wright return to the opening lineup. Jock Campbell, who made his first test appearance in four years starting at fullback against Ireland, will drop to the bench to provide cover for both the 10 and 15 positions.
In addition to the flyhalf injuries, the eighth-ranked Wallabies will also be without loose forward Tom Hooper, who sustained a shoulder injury in the Ireland clash. Nick Champion de Crespigny will take Hooper’s place on the reserves bench.
Announcing the revised match squad in Brisbane on Thursday, Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt acknowledged the difficult close to last weekend’s opening match, noting that the squad had refocused through the week to prepare for France. “The group has reset this week in Brisbane after what was a tough ending to the first game of the Nations Championship,” Schmidt said. “We have worked hard on continuing to improve after missing some vital opportunities last weekend.”
Across the dressing room, reigning Six Nations champions France are also facing their own injury disruption ahead of the match, having opened their Nations Championship campaign with a narrow 34-32 defeat to New Zealand. Star winger Damian Penaud, who scored his record-extending 41st test try for France against the All Blacks, was forced out of the Australia and Japan fixtures with a calf injury, forcing at least one enforced change to France’s starting lineup, with more adjustments expected from head coach.
The full Australia starting lineup is: Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’alii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan; Harry Wilson (captain), Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Josh Canham, Allan Ala’alatoa, Josh Nasser, Angus Bell. Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Lachlan Shaw, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Tate McDermott, Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu.