Wallabies Halfway To The Grand Slam And Give Debut To Harry Potter For Test Against Scotland
The Wallabies are halfway to their Grand Slam goal.
Australia’s quest for their first Grand Slam of the home unions in 40 years has gained momentum following a dramatic last-minute victory over England and a dominant win against Wales. However, the tour of Britain and Ireland is about to get more challenging.
“The match against Scotland will be the toughest yet,” said Wallabies lock Will Skelton, ahead of their visit to Murrayfield in Edinburgh this Sunday.
After Scotland, Australia will face Ireland, the second-ranked team in the world and reigning Six Nations champions.
Before thinking of a potential Grand Slam-deciding victory in Dublin, the Wallabies must first contend with Scotland—a team that can be unpredictable but boasts dangerous players like flyhalf Finn Russell and center Huw Jones.
This match will also feature a new face for Australia—Harry Potter, a 26-year-old winger born in London and raised in Melbourne since the age of 10. He will earn his first cap for the Wallabies, making his debut in the city where the Harry Potter books were written by J.K. Rowling.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is focused on building a strong player base for the upcoming years, which include next year’s British and Irish Lions tour and the 2027 Rugby World Cup hosted in Australia.
This is why players like Potter, as well as Joseph Sua’ali’i—who has been fast-tracked into the squad after switching from rugby league last month—are being tested. Sua’ali’i will make his second start in the 15-man code after replacing suspended center Samu Kerevi.
Also returning to the lineup are captain and No. 8 Harry Wilson, openside flanker Carlo Tizzano, and scrumhalf Jake Gordon.
Schmidt recognizes that Scotland’s squad is highly cohesive and will pose a significant challenge. “The core of their team has been together for years. They’re tough and well-organized, so we’ll need to be at our best,” he said.
The Australian squad’s preparations have been hindered by freezing temperatures that rendered training fields unusable. Schmidt noted that the team has adapted well, much like they have responded to a difficult Rugby Championship campaign, which saw them finish last after five losses in six matches.
Scotland, meanwhile, has been hit by the loss of former Wallabies No. 8 Jack Dempsey to a shoulder injury, but has called in 2023 World Cup captain Jamie Ritchie and in-form winger Darcy Graham, who has scored seven tries in his last four games.
In November, Scotland defeated Fiji 57-17, lost to South Africa 32-15, and beat Portugal 59-21. They have won three of their last four meetings with the Wallabies, with the most recent defeat in 2022 coming after Blair Kinghorn missed a late penalty.
“We need to start beating the top teams if we’re serious about making progress,” said Scotland’s Huw Jones. “Beating Fiji and Portugal is great, but we’ve got to step up against Australia.”
