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There’s a new coach, a fresh slate, and shifting expectations about how the Wallabies will fare at the Rugby World Cup later this year.
Over the next seven months players will rise and others will wane as they battle for spots on the plane to France.
As Eddie Jones has said twice since being announced as Wallabies coach, “Players select and deselect themselves”.
With Super Rugby trials kicking off ahead of a big season for the Australian Test hopefuls, The Roar is launching the RWC power rankings.
At regular stages through the next seven months we will take stock of the key form surges and dips in the Aussie playing ranks.
Not everyone will agree with our selections – hell, maybe no one will – but we’re keen to hear your thoughts on who is hot and who’s not.
The aim is to name the top players available in each position – assuming the World Cup was kicking off today. So while we mentioned the injured troops, they can’t fill a position on the depth chart.
Looseheads
1. James Slipper, 2. Angus Bell, 3. Tom Robertson, 4. Matt Gibbon.
Slipper will be 34 by the time the World Cup starts along but showed his importance to Dave Rennie by taking over the captaincy when Michael Hooper abdicated in Argentina. Slipper was clearly respected by his peers but did have issues with conceding penalties in the Rugby Championship – an area that Rennie could never really resolve and ultimately played a part in the win-loss record that led to his decline.
Slipper benefitted last season from the toe injury to Bell, who should go into this year with every confidence he can become the No.1 No.1. Robertson, who has 31 Tests to his name, and Gibbon, five after debuting in Mendoza last year, were both in Rennie’s 44-man squad last month.
James Slipper (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Hookers
1. Dave Porecki, 2. Folau Fainga’a, 3. Lachie Lonergan, 4. Tolu Latu, 5. Josh Nasser.
Porecki firmly entrenched himself as the top dog last year as Fainga’a’s appearances – mostly from the bench – were marked by some frustrating lineout wobbles at big moments. Lonergan was Rennie’s preferred third in line, giving him some Test action, including a winning try against Wales in November. The wildcard though is Latu, back at the Tahs after an ill-fated and ill-disciplined time in France that ended with a 10 week suspension. When Darren Coleman signed Latu he said “when he’s on point there are not many more damaging hookers in world rugby.” As this power rankings project continues Latu shapes as the man who could have the biggest rise – or biggest fall – this year.
Tightheads
1.Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Sam Talakai, 3. Pone Fa’amausili
Alaalatoa is thought by many to be next in line for the Wallabies’ captaincy and perhaps even in time to lead the team to the RWC. After him the stocks are currently very thin with Talakai the only other fit tighthead named in the 44-man camp under Rennie. All eyes will be on the recovery of Taniela Tupou from his shattering ruptured Achilles. Pone Fa’amausili was left out of Rennie’s squad. The giant tighthead prop’s ceiling is massive, but his work-rate, effort and diligence on and off the field has left some underwhelmed.
Locks
1. Izack Rodda, 2. Will Skelton, 3. Nick Frost, 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Ned Hanigan, 6. Cadeyrn Neville, 8. Ryan Smith, 9. Trevor Hosea.
One of the toughest ranking to err, lock down, considering the number of contenders and the ability of several to feature as backrowers – and Jed Holloway could also come onto this list as the season progresses. Rodda shapes as a big boost for Jones if he can recapture the form he showed before his “devastating” foot injury. Skelton has yet to convince a large number of Wallabies fans on his limited appearances – what happens with the Giteau Law and his availability for Down Under Tests under Jones shapes as a key decision for him and the coach. Nick Frost was many fans’ choice as Wallabies’ rookie of the year in 2022 and the multi-talented sportsman looks to have a big career ahead. It will be a defining season for young Darcy Swain after his double suspension last year – what Jones makes of him and his character will be fascinating. Matt Philip, who ruptured his ACL in October, faces a mountain to climb back into RWC contention in time.
Blindside flankers
1.Jed Holloway, 2. Pete Samu, 3. Lachie Swinton, 4, Seru Uru, 5. Josh Kemeny.
This has been a position of flux for the Wallabies, with Holloway shoehorned into the No.6 by Rennie in the absence of injured Rob Leota in the back end of 2022. Samu and Valetini were also used at blindside but we’ve opted for the latter at No.8, while Samu was a back row ‘super sub’ for the previous coach. Swinton is making his eagerly anticipated return after shoulder nerve damage, Uru has a lot of fans in The Roar readership (especially up in Queensland) while Rebels’ Kemeny is highly rated and on the way back from serious injury.
Openside flankers
1.Michael Hooper, 2. Fraser McReight, 3. Brad Wilkin,
Hoops’ comeback after his mental health break showed his worth to the Wallabies and fingers are crossed that he can power through to the World Cup, likely without the burden of captaincy. Fraser McReight had his moments last year – notably against South Africa in Adelaide – but has just five Test starts since 2020. Charlie Gamble is an intriguing wildcard, having been named in the recent 44-man camp before even being eligible for the Wallabies. He will be in April at which time he can seize his place on the power rankings. Wilkin, meanwhile, caught the eye on the Australia A tour of Japan.
No.8s
1.Rob Valetini, 2. Harry Wilson, 3. Langi Gleeson
Valetini was the go-to man at the back of the scrum for Rennie, who seemed unconvinced by Harry Wilson. The Queenslander could be a big beneficiary of the coaching change. But If Gleeson can continue improving at his current rate he could quickly make the jersey his own. He made his debut against Scotland in October and finished the year as the starting No.8 after a Valetini injury.
(Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
Scrumhalves
1.Nic White, 2. Tate McDermott, 3. Jake Gordon, 4. Ryan Lonergan.
White is the clear No.1 due his combativeness and experience. If Rennie had a preferred No.2 between McDermott and Gordon he never really made it obvious – via words or selection. That lack of decisiveness came to a head on the northern tour where Rennie rotated his three nines and left White out of the embarrassing loss to Italy. We’d all love to know if Rennie regretted that decision in hindsight. Lonergan led the Australia A team well in Fiji and Japan. Issak Fines has plenty of zip-zip and his progress with the Force will be fascinating to watch.
No.10s
1.Noah Lolesio, 2. Bernard Foley, 3. Ben Donaldson, 4. Tane Edmed, 5. James O’Connor, 6. Carter Gordon.
This shapes as the most absorbing power struggle across the Wallabies in the next seven months. Can Quade rise for yet another time – he is certainly backing himself to overcome his long term injury to play a role at the World Cup – and even if he does is he to Eddie’s taste? The coach has given little away.
“At the end of the last England tour, I watched (Tane) Edmed and (Ben) Donaldson play against each other, Eastwood v Randwick down at Coogee Oval, and both of them have got a lot to like about them,” Jones said this week.
“Donaldson played well on the last tour, he’s a young guy coming though and he looks like he’s got a good head on him. So who knows?
“And there’s great competition there, hopefully we’ve got Quade coming back, (Bernard) Foley’s playing well in Japan, (James) O’Connor will be fit for the Reds, then you’ve got (Noah) Lolesio at the Brumbies, a young guy whose had some experience in Test rugby.
“So it’s going to be competitive, but we’re definitely going to have to decide the hierarchy of 10s… you want cohesion, particularly in the spine of your team, so we’ll try to get to that as quickly as we can.”
Jones may have struggled to pronounce Lolesio in his media conference but the young Brumby still seems the best option for the No.10 right now. Foley’s QC-light impression failed to mark him as a must-pick, while there’s an engrossing battle about to take place between Donaldson and Edmed at the Tahs. O’Connor is a survivor – but a return to the Test squad would be stunning. Meanwhile, can Gordon go up another level this year? It’ll be hard with a lighter pack made smaller without Leota and Philip.
Inside centres
1.Hunter Paisami, 2. Lalakai Foketi, 3. Reece Hodge, 4. Hamish Stewart.
Samu Kerevi’s long-term injury is a major blow for Jones but he, like Cooper, is hopeful of getting back in time for France. Paisami was also injured in Europe, although not as badly. And so too was Lalakai Foketi, who suffered a shin fracture against France – the same game where he finished off the Wallabies’ try of the year. Hodge – Rennie’s Mr Fixit – is heading to France after the RWC and will provide good utility cover.
Outside centres
1.Len Ikitau, 2. Izzy Perese, 3. Josh Flook
Paisami adds depth to this position – but Ikitau and Perese look to be locked in battle over the next seven months. Youngster Flook is a potential bolter.
Wings
1.Marika Koroibete, 2. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 3. Jordan Petaia, 4.Suli Vunivalu, 5. Dylan Pietsch, 5. Andy Muirhead.
Nawaqanitawase has gone from being snubbed form the Waratahs’ first trial of last season to one of the most exciting players in the country and the next winger you would pick after world class Koroibete. Petaia holds plenty of appeal and it will be interesting to see how his game develops over the next seven months. Of course, Andrew Kellaway and Tom Wright will have claims to a wing spot depending on how the No.15 selection pans out.
Fullbacks
1.Tom Banks, 2. Jock Campbell, 3. Andrew Kellaway, 4. Tom Wright.
This shapes as another tough selection call for the new coach. Rennie took a long time to show faith in Campbell who showed enough to suggest he can be a reliable option. Banks thought his Test career had ended when he broke his arm against England in Perth, but he was back on deck for the Australia A team and performed well. He’s another whose World Cup ambitions could swing on RA’s Giteau Law thinking. As for Kellaway and Wright, both will get time to shine in the No.15 jersey for their Super Rugby franchises.