Will Skelton Makes Wallabies Return for All Blacks Battle After La Rochelle Debacle

Australia can still mathematically win the competition, although it does depend on a lot of factors going their way. If they are to beat the All Blacks, then they would finish an extremely respectable second place at least. Add the local bragging rights to it and the Bledisloe Cup, then it is set to be a cracker in Perth.

Joe Schmidt has made five changes from the defeat at Eden Park last week, with a couple of big-hitters returning for the final game of a pulsating Rugby Championship.

For the first time since 2021, Rob Valetini will start a Test from the bench. It’s a curious sight, given his standing as one of the Wallabies’ most influential forwards over the past three years. A calf injury has interrupted his 2025 campaign, and with Tom Hooper holding onto the starting blindside role, Valetini has been tasked with impact duty. It’s a role he has thrived in before—his introduction against the Lions this July instantly transformed Australia’s physicality.

A two-time John Eales medallist, Valetini is one of just three players to win the honour in consecutive years, underlining his consistency and stature. After limited game time against the Lions due to injury, his return—even from the bench—offers a reassuring injection of power and reliability for the Wallabies.

The Wallabies’ lineout anchor is back. Will Skelton returns to the fold after a frustrating absence, having been stuck between club commitments with La Rochelle and the quirks of the international window. Ironically, the Toulon match that ruled him out of last week’s clash was postponed, leaving the towering lock watching the Bledisloe opener from afar. Australia missed him badly—his set-piece presence and bruising defence were critical against both South Africa and the Lions earlier this year.

Now reunited with regular partner Nick Frost, Skelton brings calm and authority to the tight five. Jeremy Williams makes way to the bench, but the bigger story is Skelton’s chance to finally influence the Bledisloe stage after a stop-start campaign. For Australia, he represents both leadership and muscle at a time when both are sorely needed.

The most eyebrow-raising selection call this week is the absence of Angus Bell. No official word has been given by Rugby Australia or the Wallabies setup, leaving fans and pundits alike scratching their heads. Some reports suggest the loosehead has picked up a knock, while others hint that he’s been left out to give Tom Robertson a much-needed run, with James Slipper’s eventual retirement on the horizon.

The silence itself is odd—Bell has been central to Australia’s scrummaging resurgence and is widely viewed as a cornerstone of the pack for years to come. Whether through injury management or rotation, his absence leaves questions that haven’t been answered. For a player so central to the Wallabies’ identity, being left out without clarity feels like a story in itself.