Gordon starts against Italy, but door not completely shut for O’Connor

Udine: Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has named Carter Gordon to start at five-eighth against Italy, 17 months after last playing for the Wallabies in the 2023 World Cup.

While welcoming back Gordon, Schmidt also hasn’t ruled out veteran James O’Connor playing again for the Wallabies after the Leicester five-eighth wasn’t named to travel to Italy, instead staying in England.

The Wallabies have made six changes to their match-day squad after their 18-point defeat against England last Saturday in Twickenham.

“James [O’Connor] could even be involved [for the Wallabies] next week [against Ireland]. Again, he’s a little bit like Lenny [Ikitau] in that he went straight from TRC [the Rugby Championship],” Schmidt said.

“He played all the way through to the finals, obviously, being in the Crusaders and then linked up with us.

“For James, just to get a bit of breathing space, particularly when you’ve shifted up north, it’s really important to get your family and in James’ situation, his dog, organised… Just letting him get his family priorities right, giving him a bit of breathing space.”

Schmidt has trusted Gordon to start at five eighth after arriving from the Gold Coast Titans last month. Gordon has recovered from a quad strain and the New Zealander has been impressed with the playmaker’s performances in training since arriving with the Wallabies.

“He’s [Gordon] grown in confidence, he’s familiarised himself with things and he’s worked really hard behind the scenes because it’s obviously a pivotal position,” Schmidt said.

“You tend to be the fulcrum of the team, the guy running the show a lot of the time. For us, Carter has just gathered momentum through the last two weeks and this is his opportunity to demonstrate where his starting point is for us.

“I think he’s got a really good ceiling, just like Tane [Edmed], and like a few we’ve got on the fringes. I think it’s really important we build depth in that position with Tom Lynagh, Ben Donaldson and those guys also being back in Australia.”

Despite joining the squad in Udine, there is no place in the match day squad for Len Ikitau, who is likely to play against France and Ireland, after Schmidt confirmed that he was managing the centre’s workload.

Ikitau’s Exeter clubmate Tom Hooper comes straight to the starting lineup at blindside breakaway, replacing Rob Valetini who is named as a replacement.

Former Bordeaux breakaway Pete Samu joins Valetini on the bench, where he is set to make his first Wallabies appearance in two years, after last playing against South Africa in the Rugby Championship.

Italy are ranked 10th in the world, beating Wales in the last two Six Nations and coming within five points of beating Ireland last March.

World Rugby stats showed that star winger Max Jorgensen carried the ball once for two metres against England, highlighting the need for the Wallabies to find more attacking opportunities against a strong Italian backline that will include Louis Lynagh, son of Wallabies legend Michael.

Jorgensen is rested with Schmidt recalling Corey Toole who will play alongside fullback Andrew Kellaway and Harry Potter, who retain their spots.

Schmidt revealed that Dylan Pietsch and Jorgensen had been feeling slightly off colour in camp, so it had been decided to rest them. Carlo Tizzano is still recovering from a knee strain, although he has trained fully this week in Udine.

Hunter Paisami and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will link up together in the centres for the second successive week.

Hooker Matt Faessler gets his first start of the Spring tour, having last played for the Wallabies in the first Test defeat against the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane. He will pack down with props Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou who are retained from the England defeat.

Former All Black Aidan Ross will get an opportunity to win his second Wallabies cap from the bench, where he will be joined by Zane Nonggorr.

After an Italian journalist referred to the Wallabies’ opponents as perhaps the ‘easiest’ of the Spring tour Tests against England, Ireland and France, Schmidt politely disagreed with the assessment.

“What I wouldn’t be as convinced about is that Italy is the easier one in the middle [of the Spring tour], I’m unconvinced about that, because I’ve seen enough of these players,” Schmidt said.

“We know we’re going to have our hands full... we know that it’s going to be a lot tougher than maybe people might perceive from the outside.”

Watch all the action from the 2025 Wallabies spring tour on Stan Sport