Australia v Italy: Nations Championship rugby union international – live
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Key events
Angus Fontaine looks ahead to tonight’s match, and reflects on the Joe Schmidt era.
Schmidt’s tenure as head coach started in 2024 with three straight victories at home. However, he has since won just eight of his 27 Tests in charge. And if his men fall to the Azzurri on Saturday – as they have in their last two clashes, in 2022 and 2025 – Schmidt’s win-loss record falls below 36% and leaves Australian rugby dealing with a terrible hangover.
Italy XV
Italy have made nine changes to the starting XV that lost to the All Blacks last time out. Some of those are enforced, with key lock Niccolo Cannone banned for four games for a headbutt, and fullback Tommaso Allan and No.8 Lorenzo Cannone both injured.
15. Lorenzo Pani, 14. Louis Lynagh, 13. Juan Ignacio Brex, 12. Paolo Odogwu, 11. Monty Ioane, 10. Paolo Garbisi, 9. Alessandro Garbisi, 8. Ross Vintcent, 7. Michele Lamaro (c), 6. Riccardo Favretto, 5. Federico Ruzza, 4. Giulio Marini, 3. Marco Riccioni, 2. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1. Muhamed Hasa
Replacements: 16. Pablo Dimcheff, 17. Danilo Fischetti, 18. Ion Neculai, 19. Andrea Zambonin, 20. Alessandro Ortombina, 21. Alessandro Fusco, 22. Giacomo Da Re, 23. Leonardo Marin
Australia XV
Joe Schmidt has made three changes to his final starting XV as Wallabies coach. Two of those are injury enforced with Harry Potter and Brandon Paenga-Amosa coming in for Dylan Pietsch and Josh Nasser.
The final selection is more curious with Australia’s standout performer against France, Fraser McReight, dropping to the bench and Carlo Tizzano coming into the back row. The logic is twofold: Tizzano is a Perth local and will give the home fans someone to get behind, and Australia lost the second half so appallingly in Brisbane there is a need to develop the same Bomb Squad finisher culture that has served the Springboks so well over the past decade.
1. Angus Bell, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Josh Canham, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Carlo Tizzano, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Declan Meredith, 11. Harry Potter, 12. Len Ikitau, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14. Max Jorgensen, 15. Tom Wright.
Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. James Slipper, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Miles Amatosero, 20. Fraser McReight, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Filipo Daugunu.
Daniel Gallan cast his eye over the state of Australian rugby following the second half collapse against Les Bleus.
Do Australia continue trying to play like a heavyweight without heavyweight depth? Or do they recalibrate and lean more into a game built around their speed, breakdown threats and willingness to embrace a little chaos? That may work occasionally, but it isn’t cutting it against the top sides.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Italy in round three of the Southern Hemisphere series of the 2026 Nations Championship. Kick-off at Perth’s HBF Park is scheduled for 6.10pm local time (8.10pm AEST).
These are dark days for Australian rugby. The Wallabies have lost six Tests in a row, and suffered 19 defeats in their past 27 matches. Last weekend they were torn apart in the second half by a rampant France, leaving captain Harry Wilson bereft and apologising to his side’s fans for letting them down.
It was the kind of moment that would have led to calls for change – if change wasn’t already afoot. Tonight is the final Test in the two-year reign of Joe Schmidt.
Between Bob Dwyer’s appointment in 1982 and the departure of Robbie Deans in 2013 each coach of the Wallabies boasted a win rate of at least 58%. Since then nobody has passed break even. Dave Rennie managed just 36%. His successor is currently on 39.
Waiting in the wings, Les Kiss is on a hiding to nothing.
But he will surely take over a team with a morale-boosting win under its belt. Like Australia, Italy are 0-2 in the Nations Championship, but their head coach, Gonzalo Quesada, is banned for the night, and nine changes have been made to the Azzurri starting XV with key players absent.
Italy have never beaten the Wallabies on Australian soil, but they have won the past two clashes between the pair, most recently in November last year in Udine.
I’ll be back with final team lists and more shortly. Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the evening. The address is jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
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