Uncapped Brumbies forward Toby Macpherson earns surprise Wallabies call-up for Bledisloe Cup Tests

Toby Macpherson was pulling into the driveway of his family home in Goondiwindi, south-west Queensland, when the call came through that he had been selected in Australia’s 34-man Bledisloe Cup squad to face the All Blacks in two Tests. The 22-year-old, who only made his Super Rugby Pacific debut in early 2026, admitted the news was “a little bit surprising.”

Coach Les Kiss named Macpherson alongside Harry McLaughlin-Phillips as the two uncapped players in the squad, though McLaughlin-Phillips had already been involved with the group ahead of Australia’s 42-38 win over the Springboks at Optus Stadium in Perth. After receiving the call, Macpherson drove to Brisbane and flew to Auckland to join preparations for the first Test at Eden Park.

The versatile forward, who covers lock and the backrow, had a standout campaign with the ACT Brumbies this season, scoring twice on his maiden start against the Fijian Drua and captaining the side during the second edition of Super Rugby AUS. It followed a loan spell with Japanese side Toyota Verblitz, where he trained alongside Michael Hooper and Aaron Smith under coaches Sir Steve Hansen and Ian Foster — an experience he credits with broadening his rugby education.

“It’s what every kid dreams of. It’s certainly what I dreamed of watching the Wallabies back home with a very passionate rugby family,” Macpherson told reporters in Auckland. “I’m certainly pinching myself, the fact that I’m here with these boys in this group. I’m just really looking forward to getting stuck in and hopefully playing my part in this team.”

A product of Brisbane Boys’ College, Macpherson captained Australia at both the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship on the Sunshine Coast and the World Rugby Junior World Championship before earning his senior opportunity. He was also named the 2024 Australia U20 captain.

His time in Japan, he explained, reshaped the way he approaches his weekly preparation. “Certainly my preparation, the way I look at how I prepare throughout a week, I learned a lot in that experience being far from home, not having my family there, but also learning off the guys that were there. It set me up really well coming into this year with the Brums.”

With the Wallabies targeting their first Bledisloe Cup Test win of 2026 at Eden Park, Macpherson arrives as one of the squad’s most intriguing selections — a forward whose rapid rise from loan player to Test hopeful has been built on adaptability and an appetite to learn.