DYLAN SMITH
The Wallabies are gearing up for the Nations Championship Test from July with the squad to again feature
former Gunnedah Red Devil Harry Wilson.
Wilson, who has played with the Queensland Reds Super Rugby Pacific team this year, was among the 20 forwards announced for the series that kicks off at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium next month.
The Wallabies play their first three games on home soil in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in July.
The remaining fixture held throughout the remainder of the year includes Osaka, Townsville, San Salvador de Jujuy (Argentina), Mendoza (Argentina), Perth, Auckland, Sydney, London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
The Nations Championships Finals Weekend will be held from 27 November.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said there had been ongoing discussions about the squad among the coaches for a number of months.
“As always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” Schmidt said, as reported by the Wallabies.
“We’ve settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time.”
Last year, Wilson captained the Wallabies in all three tests against the British and Irish Lions.
He was also captain when the Wallabies came up against South Africa and scored two tries in a 38-22 victory against the Springboks.
The win was the first time the Wallabies had beaten the Springboks at Ellis Stadium (Johannesburg) since 1963.
This season, in the backrow with the Reds, Wilson has featured prominently in the top five for tackles completed in the Pacific competition.
It was a mixed season for the Queensland side, which finished in fifth position on 37 points.
The Reds made it to the finals series, playing the Chiefs in the qualifying final earlier this month.
The Chiefs proved too strong, winning 46-24.
Super Rugby’s Pacific competition came to a close at the weekend with the Hurricanes battling it out with the Chiefs in the grand final held at Wellington, New Zealand.
The Hurricanes were in phenomenal form and defeated the Chiefs 60-5.
With the Pacific season at an end for the year, Wilson can set his
sights on the coming campaign with the Wallabies.
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