Wallabies call ends Teddy Wilson's wait after deliberate Australia A snub

Teddy Wilson was back at Easts Rugby Club last Friday wearing a Wallabies polo, just days after being conspicuously absent from the Australia A squad that travelled to face a USA XV in Nashville and New Jersey — an omission that turned out to be entirely by design.

Wallabies head coach Les Kiss made the call himself, keeping the 23-year-old Waratahs scrum-half away from the Australia A programme so he could be considered directly for the senior November Nations Championship Tests squad. Wilson was at Waratahs training on the Monday when his phone rang. Kiss was on the other end.

“It was very special,” Wilson said of the moment his selection was confirmed, with the news going public on Friday afternoon. “It’s a special moment for myself and my family. Playing rugby in Australia, growing up this is definitely the team that you want to play for and aspire to get into.”

Wilson has been one of Australian rugby’s more highly regarded young halfbacks for several years. He captained the Wallabies U20 side at the 2023 World Rugby Junior World Championship before establishing himself in Super Rugby Pacific with the Waratahs, making 14 appearances despite Jake Gordon holding down the starting berth. He also played a prominent role in the second edition of Super Rugby AUS.

Off the back of that form, Wilson helped guide Easts to the Shute Shield title — a competition he described as a grounding influence throughout his development. Tahs teammate Sid Harvey was also central to that Shute Shield success.

“I haven’t felt the pressure of that type of stuff,” Wilson said when asked about the weight of expectation. “I just focus on what I can control. That’s my performances each week. If it’s playing for Easts, if it’s playing for the Waratahs, whoever it may be, I just focus on that week to week and let the other stuff take control of itself.”

The call-up carries added family significance. Wilson had been at Easts late last week supporting his brother Harry Wilson, who featured for the Australia Sevens side against Fiji in the inaugural Kick On 7s as the Aussies prepare for the HSBC SVNS Series.

“It’s definitely a special moment for our family,” Wilson added. “We’re super grateful to be in this position.”

Nathan Hastie and Kalani Thomas — who has been a consistent Wallabies squad presence since the 2025 Autumn Nations Series and featured in Bledisloe II against the All Blacks — will represent Australia at the A-team level in the United States, while Wilson prepares for his potential Test debut.