SYDNEY (AP) — Les Kiss didn’t tinker much with selections for his first squad as Wallabies head coach, but he predicted “there will be change.”
For Australia’s two-test series against Japan next month, Kiss included only one uncapped player, recalled big, versatile Reds forward Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and left out veteran James Slipper, who recently made a return to international rugby for the Nations Championship.
Kiss took over from Joe Schmidt this week and said he was “a different personality in some ways to Joe’s leadership.”
“How that manifests, we’ll find out,” he said Thursday after unveiling his first squad. “I’ll just be me, driving what it is to be a new ‘us.’”
Center Isaac Henry is the only uncapped player in the squad to take on Japan in Osaka on Aug. 8 and in Townsville, Queensland state, a week later.
Salakaia-Loto and Isaac Kailea are the only other new faces in the 34-player squad that is coming off a win and two losses in the Nations Championship. Kailea replaces Slipper, Australia’s most-capped rugby international, as an option at loosehead prop.
Len Ikitau (ankle) and Tom Hooper (shoulder) were unavailable because of injuries.
No. 8 Harry Wilson leads the squad that will include 19 forwards and 15 backs, and is set to leave Sydney for Japan on Aug. 1.
Australia opened the Nations Championship with losses to Ireland in Sydney and France in Brisbane before beating Italy in Perth, Western Australia over the past three weekends. The Perth match was Schmidt’s last match in charge.
Schmidt had initially planned to leave the role last October but continued his tenure to allow Kiss to complete his contract at the Brisbane-based Queensland Reds in Super Rugby before taking over as Wallabies head coach through the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Kiss, who played rugby league for Australia before moving into the coaching ranks in rugby union, was on Schmidt’s coaching staff with Ireland’s national team from late 2013 to 2015.
He said his recall of Salakaia-Loto, who didn’t get a lot of test starts under Schmidt, came after “robust” discussions with coaches.
“He’s worked hard … he’s ready,” Kiss said. “I want players to be themselves, bring their personalities to the fore. I want them to know our strength is in our diversity and who we are.”
There are limits on how many foreign-based players Wallabies coaches can choose, with preference given to those playing for Australia’s Super Rugby franchises.
“I won’t be afraid to look overseas,” Kiss said of future selections, “but … respect what we’ve got here.”
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Australia squad: Allan Ala’alatoa, Miles Amatosero, Angus Bell, Charlie Cale, Josh Canham, Isaac Kailea, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Lachlan Shaw, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson (captain), Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Carter Gordon, Isaac Henry, Max Jorgensen, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Declan Meredith, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Tom Wright.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
