Nations Championship Preview: Australia v Ireland

Ireland Men

3rd July 2026

Sydney is the starting point for Ireland's inaugural Nations Championship campaign, as Andy Farrell's Triple Crown winners return to action against Australia.

NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SERIES:

Saturday, July 4 -

AUSTRALIA v IRELAND, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, kick-off 8.10pm local time/11.10am Irish time (live on Virgin Media One & Virgin Media Play/ITV1 & ITVX/BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2/BBC Sounds)

Team News: Head coach Andy Farrell has made four changes to the Ireland team that secured the Triple Crown against Scotland in March, including an injury-enforced change of captain.

In the absence of Caelan Doris (foot), hooker Dan Sheehan will lead his country for the third time, having done so before against Wales and New Zealand last year.

Hugo Keenan, Sam Prendergast, James Ryan, and Cian Prendergast all come into the starting XV, with a fully fit Keenan back in the green jersey for the first time since the 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations.

Jamie Osborne moves across to play on the left wing for Ireland for the first time, with Robert Baloucoune, the scorer of 12 tries in 13 games this season, stationed on the right.

Jamie Osborne training with the Ireland squad

Stuart McCloskey has recovered from a hamstring injury to combine again with Garry Ringrose in the centre, and Prendergast, who replaces the injured Jack Crowley, will partner Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back.

Ulster's Tom O'Toole features at loosehead prop, as he did against Wales and Scotland in March. Captain Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong complete the front row.

Joe McCarthy, on his 25th appearance for Ireland, will pack down with Ryan in the engine room, and Connacht captain Cian Prendergast joins his younger brother Sam in the side, getting the nod at blindside flanker.

With Doris sidelined for the tour, Jack Conan switches to number 8 for this clash with the Wallabies. Josh van der Flier will win his 80th cap at openside.

Ireland forwards Tom O'Toole and Joe McCarthy

Jeremy Loughman and Thomas Clarkson return to the matchday 23 as replacement, while Tadhg Beirne, having worked his way back from a knee injury, is set for an impact role off the bench.

Rónan Kelleher and Nick Timoney are the visitors' other forward options, while Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, and Bundee Aki, who is set to reach the 70-cap mark, will cover the back-line positions.

Ireland have won their last five matches against Australia, including a 46-19 victory at the Aviva Stadium last November, and 10 members of this squad played in last summer's British & Irish Lions series win over the Wallabies.

Farrell, who coached the Lions to a 2-1 triumph Down Under, said: "Australia have got some superb rugby players. You look at the centres and the edges that they've got, and the back row that they've got.

"The people that they've got to come in off the bench, and the people that they've got out injured.

"You can see the capability of the side, and I read some reports this week that if they get it right, they can beat anyone in world rugby and I would agree with that."

He added: "Cian Prendergast has come a long way in the past 12 months. The learnings he took from the autumn into the start of the Six Nations and how that progressed, I think he's been outstanding for Connacht.

"Sam, the way he's handled the last month is a credit to him in regards to taking responsibility for the shirt and his chance to build through the last few games and finish with a big performance in the URC final (for Leinster), so he's earned the right.

"Obviously, Jamie Osborne has been playing really well. He's a bloody good rugby player in whatever position he's playing in.

"With how we want to play the game with having our wingers involved, he's a smart player. He gets that straight away. Pretty good in the air, good left boot, that all comes into the pot."

Meanwhile, Queensland Reds' Jock Campbell will line out at full-back for Australia in his first Test appearance since 2022.

This is the start of Joe Schmidt's final series of games in charge of the Wallabies before he hands over the reins to Les Kiss in August.

Schmidt was Ireland's head coach when they last visited Australia in 2018, famously earning a 2-1 series win over the home side when they won in both Melbourne and Sydney.

His selection for this Nations Championship opener includes a new half-back duo in Carter Gordon and Ryan Lonergan, and two-times capped lock Josh Canham is handed his first start.

Captain Harry Wilson heads up an experienced back row unit, loosehead prop Angus Bell is back from his stint at Ulster, and James Slipper, Australia's record caps holder, is on the bench after reversing his decision to retire.

AUSTRALIA: Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds); Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs), Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i (NSW Waratahs), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Dylan Pietsch (Western Force); Carter Gordon (Queensland Reds), Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies); Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Josh Nasser (Queensland Reds), Allan Ala'alatoa (ACT Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Josh Canham (Queensland Reds), Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds) (capt).

Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Western Force), James Slipper (ACT Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Racing 92), Lachlan Shaw (ACT Brumbies), Tom Hooper (Exeter Chiefs), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Ben Donaldson (Western Force), Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies).

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD RFC/Leinster); Robert Baloucoune (Enniskillen RFC/Ulster), Garry Ringrose (UCD RFC/Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor RFC/Ulster), Jamie Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster), James Ryan (UCD RFC/Leinster), Cian Prendergast (UCD RFC/Connacht), Josh van der Flier (UCD RFC/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen FC/Munster), Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne FC/Munster), Nick Timoney (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Craig Casey (Shannon RFC/Munster), Ciarán Frawley (UCD RFC/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians RFC/Connacht).

Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)

Pre-Match Quotes - Dan Sheehan (Ireland): "The captaincy is something I've actually quite enjoyed. It hasn't been too daunting.

"We have a great group of leaders in the squad already, so it's just a good chance for me to develop my own personal skills but also get a grip of the squad in a full month on tour, which has been nice.

"I think the prep has been good. I've enjoyed the build up to it. I think everyone's raring to go.

"I think we wanted to hit the ground running (in Sydney). We're a very diligent group that preps very well.

"Trying to think back to the Six Nations, we hit the ground running in Portugal, we thought we had a great week's prep and we obviously didn't give the best version of ourselves on the day in that first game in France.

"That's been my focus on the last couple of weeks, just making sure that the lads are switched on and not overawed by detail."

Joe Schmidt (Australia): "Ireland are a team that can suffocate you so well, and if they suffocate you for long enough, they're going to accumulate points, and they do it so well.

"So, part of our plan is to keep playing against them, you know. You can never guarantee results because A, you're playing such a good team, and B, there are so many uncontrollable factors in the game.

"All you can do is try to really control what you can as best you can and keep building on that."