Injured McReight drops to bench as Tizzano starts for Wallabies against Italy

Fraser McReight will start from the bench for the Wallabies in their Nations Championship match against Italy at HBF Park in Perth, with coach Joe Schmidt confirming a knee injury picked up in last weekend’s 42-26 defeat to France is behind the decision.

McReight was one of Australia’s standout performers against France in Brisbane, scoring two tries, winning two turnovers, making 17 tackles, and producing a try-saving play in the first half. Despite the impressive display, Schmidt revealed the flanker struggled in the days that followed.

“Fraser had a bit of a knock from the game. The flight didn’t help then. His knee was a bit immobile earlier in the week and he was pretty quiet at training on Tuesday,” Schmidt said. “We took it pretty quietly, but he trained really well today. That was the first part of it.”

Carlo Tizzano comes in to wear the No. 7 jersey for the first time since Australia’s 19-15 win over Japan on 25 October 2025. The Perth-born flanker brings strong recent form — he finished equal fourth for tries scored in Super Rugby Pacific this season with 10, and was named the 2025 Australian Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year following an impressive campaign with the Western Force.

Schmidt was equally enthusiastic about the personal dimension of the selection. “Carlo’s trained really well for us. He’s never let us down when he has played for us. Hometown, home track, against a team where he would have connections. Last year when we were in Udine, his brother came in and visited us. There’s a real connection there for him. We’ve got lots of confidence in the way he plays.”

McReight joins a relatively experienced bench that includes all-time Wallabies caps record-holder James Slipper (153 Tests) and scrum-half Tate McDermott, who has surpassed 50 Test appearances. Three other replacements have each played at least 20 matches in gold.

Ben Donaldson also returns to the squad after missing the France game, providing cover for fly-half Declan Meredith, who is set for only his second Test appearance. Schmidt expressed confidence in Meredith’s ability to build on a promising debut, noting the young playmaker steered Australia around the field effectively in the first half against France — a period in which the Wallabies led 21-12.

The second-half collapse against France, in which Les Bleus scored 30 unanswered points to win, has been a focal point for the coaching staff. Schmidt suggested the experience arriving from the bench — Slipper, McReight, and Donaldson among them — will be crucial in addressing that drop-off as the Nations Championship campaign continues.