Brisbane schoolboy Moses Alo-Emile debuts for France against his home nation Wallabies

Moses Alo-Emile made his international debut for France in a 42-26 Nations Championship victory over the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, becoming French representative number 1234 — eight years after leaving Brisbane as an 18-year-old with no clear path in Australian rugby.

The loosehead prop, who grew up less than three kilometres from the venue, packed down opposite Allan Alaalatoa as France secured four consecutive wins over Australia for the first time in 60 years. For Alo-Emile, the symmetry of the occasion was not lost.

“It’s like a once in a lifetime thing. Being able to play my first game in Brisbane against the Wallabies — I’ve been saying with the French media a lot, it’s like destiny, it’s kind of meant to happen,” Alo-Emile said post-match, walking out of the dressing room with a freshly presented cap and family members wearing French jerseys nearby.

“It was weird though, when I got here to Brisbane two weeks ago, rocking up in French kit. I come to Brisbane almost every two years to see the family, but this time was a lot different.”

Alo-Emile is a product of the Brisbane State High School First XV and the Queensland Schoolboys programme, where he played alongside players who are now central figures in the Wallabies setup. Harry Wilson, the current Australia captain, and Fraser McReight, who captains the Queensland Reds, were among his schoolboy contemporaries, as was inside centre Len Ikitau, named Wallabies Player of the Year in 2025.

McReight scored two tries in another encouraging first-half performance from the Wallabies and was prominent in defence, while Ikitau impressed at inside centre. Wilson, McReight and Ikitau are now key drivers of an Australian side building towards a home Rugby World Cup.

Despite that company, Alo-Emile found no clear route to stay in Australian rugby after school. He moved to France at 18, making his Stade Français debut on 9 December 2018 away to Ospreys, and has worked his way through the French system ever since. The 26-year-old still returns to Brisbane every two years to visit family — this trip, however, carried rather different stakes.