Wallabies Name Team for Argentina Test: Harry Wilson Rested, Alaalatoa to Captain
The Wallabies have left captain Harry Wilson out of their squad entirely and placed high-profile recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the bench for their upcoming clash against Argentina in Jujuy, according to team announcements reported by ABC Sport. Wallabies coach Les Kiss opted to rotate his forward pack to build squad depth ahead of next year’s home World Cup, handing the captaincy to tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa for the sixth time.
Reshaping the Forward Pack in Jujuy
Heading into the opening Test of their two-match tour of South America, the Wallabies coaching staff prioritized heavy rotation across the forwards. According to team selections reported by ABC Sport, Isaac Kailea earns his first start in two years at loosehead prop, joined in a brand-new starting front row by hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Alaalatoa. In the loose forwards, Rob Valetini steps into the number eight jersey to cover for the rested Wilson, while Tom Hooper starts at blindside flanker for the first time this year alongside Queensland Reds openside flanker Fraser McReight.
Backline Consistency and Suaalii’s Bench Role
While the forward pack underwent a complete structural shakeup, the backline remains steady. Coach Kiss kept the exact starting backline that secured a victory over Japan in Townsville earlier in the month, according to ABC Sport reporting. Tom Wright anchors the team at fullback, partnered with Max Jorgensen on the right wing and Harry Potter on the left. Isaac Henry and Hunter Paisami combine in the midfield, inside flyhalf Carter Gordon and scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan.
Meanwhile, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii works his way back from injury as a replacement named in the 23-man match-day squad.
Los Pumas Opposition and Recent Form
Argentina enters the fixture following a challenging run of matches in 2026. According to ABC Sport, Los Pumas have secured just one victory across four home Tests this year, dropping games to Scotland and England while claiming a win over Wales during the July Nations Championship. They most recently suffered a narrow 17-10 defeat to world champions South Africa. Furthermore, Argentina must navigate significant personnel losses, with several key figures from their 2025 Wallabies series—including captain Julián Montoya, flanker Marcos Kremer, and backline threats Mateo Carreras and Santiago Chocobares—unavailable due to injury or absence.
The Wallabies carry a three-Test winning streak into Jujuy, built on victories against Japan and a 57-10 rout of Italy in Perth in July. Historically, matches between the two nations on South American soil remain fiercely contested, with both sides trading victories during their 2024 meetings in Argentina.
Match-Day Lineups
The starting XVs and replacements named for Sunday morning’s fixture reflect contrasting approaches to squad management:
- Wallabies Starting XV: 1-Isaac Kailea, 2-Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3-Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 4-Josh Canham, 5-Jeremy Williams, 6-Tom Hooper, 7-Fraser McReight, 8-Rob Valetini, 9-Ryan Lonergan, 10-Carter Gordon, 11-Harry Potter, 12-Hunter Paisami, 13-Isaac Henry, 14-Max Jorgensen, 15-Tom Wright. Resilient bench options include Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Massimo de Lutiis, Lachlan Shaw, Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
- Argentina Starting XV: 1-Boris Wenger, 2-Ignacio Ruiz, 3-Francisco Moreno, 4-Guido Petti, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 6-Pablo Matera (captain), 7-Benjamin Grondona, 8-Joaquin Moro, 9-Simon Benitez Cruz, 10-Santiago Carreras, 11-Ignacio Mendy, 12-Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, 13-Lucio Cinti, 14-Rodrigo Isgro, 15-Geronimo Prisciantelli. Los Pumas reserves feature Leonel Oviedo, Rodrigo Martinez, Tomas Rapetti, Efraín Elias, Juan Penoucos, Agustín Moyano, Nicolas Roger, and Matias Moroni.
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