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international
Former NRL star Zac Lomax and Wallabies prospect Harry McLaughlin-Phillips have been invited to Australia The team before the trip to the USA, with Queensland Red fly-half Tom Lynagh was a late withdrawal through injury.
Lynagh was last week named in the initial 27-man squad, which included a dozen Wallabies, but the playmaker has since been ruled out of the two-match tour. Australia A will face USA Eagles in Nashville on October 24th and New Jersey on October 30th.
The 23-year-old was Australia’s starting fly-half in the back three Lions Serial tests last year, and also against Argentina September 6, 2025 But Queensland Reds the pivot played just 18 minutes in Super Rugby Pacific, before making another appearance in Super Rugby AUS.
Australia A are due to fly to Nashville at the weekend, but Lomax and ‘HMP’ will instead embark on an extended road trip with the squad. Lomax made his official switch from rugby league on March 8, signing a two-year contract with the Western side Force and Rugby Australia.
Lomax started in six of seven appearances for the Force during Super Rugby Pacific, including trying to score goals against Crusaders and Fijian Drua in Perth. The former NRL back finished that campaign with a couple of 80-minute appearances.
The 27-year-old will now experience representative rugby union for the first time, joined by Force Super Rugby AUS teammate McLaughlin-Phillips. HMP moved west of the Reds ahead of the tournament, helping the Force to the title earlier this month.
McLaughlin-Phillips was impressed with the Reds ranks coached by Les Kiss during Super Rugby Pacific and helped the Wests Bulldogs reach the Hospital Cup Grand Final in Queensland Premier Rugby, which led to other opportunities.
Kiss recalled McLaughlin-Phillips to the Wallabies ahead of the 42-38 win over the Springboks in Perth and retained the uncapped playmaker in the squad for the Bledisloe Cup series, which began last weekend in Auckland.
Zane Nonggorr and Kalani Thomas are the other current members of the Wallabies squad to feature for Australia A, with the opportunity to get more game time. There are 11 Wallabies in the group with a captain, and the captain will be Matt Faessler.
“It is a pleasure to assemble such a strong group of players for what will be a Test Tour against genuine international opposition,” Australia A coach Stephen Larkham said.
“A number of selected players have performed well in Super Rugby AUS and having a large number of Wallabies in the mix shows the depth that is being created in the Australian rugby system.”
Australia National team for USA
Forwards (16)
Miles Amatosero (NSW Waratahs) Joe Brial (Queensland Reds) Ethan Dobbins (NSW Waratahs) Eamon Doyle (NSW Waratahs) Matt Faessler (c) (Queensland Reds) Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies) Will Harris (Western Force) Lingington LambieliQ Reds) Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies) Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies) Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds) Luke Reimer (NSW Waratahs) Tom Robertson (Western Force) Rory Scott (ACT Brumbies) Rhys van Nek (ACT Brumbies)
Back (12)
Lachie Anderson (Queensland Reds) Tane Edmed (ACT Brumbies) David Feliuai (ACT Brumbies) Mac Grealy (Western Force) Nathan Hastie (Western Force) Dylan Pietsch (Western Force) Kadin Pritchard (ACT Brumbies) Tim Ryan (Queens Thomas RedQ) Kalani Thomas (Queens Tool) (ACT Brumbies) Zac Lomax (Western Force) Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Western Force)
