Kiss hands Donaldson first Wallabies fly-half start in two years ahead of second Argentina Test

Ben Donaldson will start at fly-half for Australia against Argentina in Mendoza this weekend — his first appearance in that role since September 8, 2024, a match that was also against Los Pumas. The selection ends a run of 13 consecutive appearances off the bench for the 27-year-old and comes as part of a significantly reshuffled Wallabies lineup that also sees regular captain Harry Wilson return at No. 8.

Donaldson swaps places with Carter Gordon, who wore the No. 10 jersey in Australia’s recent wins over Japan in Townsville and Argentina in Jujuy. Gordon drops to the bench for the second Test in South America, with coach Les Kiss quick to stress the change carries no negative reflection on the Queenslander.

“We wanted to make sure we saw the 10s, all of them in some form,” Kiss told reporters. “Decky had a good run early with three Tests. Carter’s come in, Dono’s had the bench there. He’s had a great season, Dono, and we felt it was just an opportunity to make sure he just feels Test rugby again as we move into the rest of the season.”

Donaldson becomes the third Wallaby to start at fly-half in just four matches under Kiss, following Declan Meredith’s opportunity against Japan in Osaka. The Western Force playmaker first established himself as a starting option during the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, where he featured at both fly-half and fullback, and picked up another start against Georgia in Sydney the following July — a match Australia won 40-29.

Kiss indicated the rotation is part of a deliberate process of evaluation before the squad’s options are narrowed. He noted that scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan has effectively secured his jersey through consistent performances and goal-kicking, while competition remains open across the backrow, centres, and the fly-half position.

“Thinking forward, we definitely start to narrow down our options for sure,” Kiss said. “With the competitive pressure, it certainly puts some interesting decisions for myself and the coaches about what we do going forward. I’d say that’s in every position at the moment.”

The Mendoza Test represents a significant moment for Donaldson to press his case as the Wallabies begin shaping their squad for the challenges ahead.