Wallabies Squad 2026: Joe Schmidt Names 40 Players for January Camp
The road to the 2027 World Cup has officially begun.
Joe Schmidt has named a 40-man Wallabies Squad 2026 for a significant training camp in Sydney this January, marking the first step in a massive international season that will see a changing of the guard at the helm of Australian rugby.
While the three-day assembly from January 5–7 is brief, it represents a critical pivot point for the Australia rugby team. It serves as the final debrief of the grueling 2025 campaign and the foundation for a 14-Test gauntlet in 2026 that includes the inaugural Nations Championship and a high-stakes transition of power from Schmidt to incoming head coach Les Kiss.
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Carter Gordon Headlines “Prodigal Son” Returns
The headline act of the announcement is undoubtedly the immediate recall of Carter Gordon.
After a short-lived switch to rugby league with the Gold Coast Titans, the 24-year-old playmaker has returned to the 15-man code earlier than anticipated. Now listed with the Queensland Reds, Gordon’s inclusion in the Australia rugby squad 2026 sends a clear message: he is back in the frame for the gold jersey immediately.
Gordon joins a flyhalf contingent that includes the Waratahs’ Tane Edmed and the Western Force’s Ben Donaldson. His return adds vital depth to a position that remains a key battleground for the Wallabies as they look to solidify their spine ahead of the home World Cup.
The “Kiwi” Recruit and New Blood
Schmidt has also injected significant size into the forward pack with the inclusion of Aidan Ross.
The former Chiefs loosehead prop, who earned a solitary cap for the All Blacks in 2022, is now eligible for Australia and has signed with the Queensland Reds. His ability to scrummage at the elite level makes him a massive strategic asset for an Australia rugby team looking to build set-piece dominance.
He is joined by exciting rookie prop Massimo De Lutiis (Reds), who is the only uncapped player in the group, and hard-edged backrower Nick Champion de Crespigny (Force), who continues his reintegration into the Australian system after his stint in France.
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The Schmidt-Kiss Transition: A Year of Two Halves
The context surrounding this camp is unique in Australian rugby history. 2026 will be a season of two distinct chapters.
Joe Schmidt will lead the Wallabies for the July series—home Tests against Ireland (Sydney), France (Brisbane), and Italy (venue TBC). Following the Italy match on July 18, Schmidt will step down, handing the reins to current Reds coach Les Kiss.
This means the Wallabies Squad 2026 is being prepared by one coach to be inherited by another. Schmidt acknowledged the importance of this final period of alignment.
“The couple of days we have together in early January will provide a final opportunity to look back on, and to learn from, a demanding 2025 Test campaign,” Schmidt said. “It also provides a chance to complete some national testing… before they return to their Super Rugby Pacific clubs.”
Wallabies A Brutal 2026 Fixture List
The squad will not reassemble until July, when they face one of the most demanding calendars in recent memory. The confirmed 2026 schedule includes:
- The Schmidt Finale: July Tests vs Ireland, France, and Italy.
- The Kiss Era Begins: A two-Test series against Japan in August.
- Rugby Championship: Back-to-back clashes with Argentina and a one-off home Test against the World Champion Springboks in September.
- Bledisloe Cup: A home-and-away series against the All Blacks in October.
- Grand Slam Tour: November Tests against England, Scotland, and Wales, culminating in the Nations Championship finals.
Confirmed Wallabies Squad 2026 (January Camp)
Forwards (21): Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Massimo De Lutiis, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Isaac Kailea, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Tom Robertson, Aidan Ross, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Pete Samu, Darcy Swain, Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.
Backs (19): Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, Josh Flook, Carter Gordon, Jake Gordon, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Ryan Lonergan, Tom Lynagh, Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Hamish Stewart, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Corey Toole, Tom Wright.
Note: Overseas-based stars such as Will Skelton and Samu Kerevi were not considered for this camp due to ongoing club commitments in Japan and Europe.
