White given starting spot in farewell Test against Lions

Australian scrum half Nic White will bring an end to his Test rugby career by starting in the number nine jersey for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has made four changes to the starting 15 who had their hearts broken last week in Melbourne, as the Lions scored in the final minute to claim a 29-26 win, and secure the series.

White announced on Thursday morning that he will bring an end to his professional rugby career at the end of 2025, and said his Test career would conclude following the Lions’ series.

“Rugby has given me so much to be grateful for. I’ve made some incredible memories, some lifelong friendships and had the opportunity to see the world,” White said in a statement.

“There’s been great competition for the nine jersey here in the Wallabies for a number of years, and it feels like the right time to pass on the baton with some more good young players coming through who will need time in the saddle leading into what’s going to be an unbelievable experience of a home Rugby World Cup in 2027.”

White will replace Jake Gordon, who started the previous two Test matches. Queenslander Tate McDermott will be the scrum half replacement off the bench, after being a makeshift winger for 60 minutes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground following Harry Potter’s hamstring injury.

Dylan Pietsch will start on the left wing for the Wallabies in place of Potter.

Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa and flanker Rob Valetini have been ruled out of the third Test match with injury.

Taniela Tupou, who impressed for the First Nations-Pasifika XV last week against the Lions, will start at tighthead prop.

Tom Hooper will replace Valentin at blindside flanker, the third player to wear the number six jersey this series.

Schmidt said the squad had recovered after the disappointment of last weekend’s narrow defeat.

“The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week’s Test in Melbourne, but they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week, and will be ready to go again on Saturday,” he said.

“The support in Brisbane and Melbourne helped to lift the squad, and I know the support this weekend in [Stadium Australia] will again help to lift the players in the high-pressure moments that we know are coming.”

The Wallabies will have a bench consisting of five forwards and three backs. The Wallabies’ gamble to have just two back replacements backfired last week following the early injury to Potter.

Andrew Kellaway returns to the side on the bench, while Zane Nonggorr comes into the side as a replacement prop.

Calro Tizzano, who was the Wallaby at the centre of the controversial ruck before the Lions scoring the match-winner in Melbourne, is not in the match-day team.

Meanwhile, British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell has made two changes to his starting XV for the third Test.

Irishman James Ryan will start at lock, while Ollie Chessum moves to the bench.

Scot Blair Kinghorn will start on the left wing, in place of James Lowe.

The Lions are hunting a 3-0 series win, and going undefeated on their Australian tour. 

“We have put ourselves in a great position to finish this Tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history,” Farrell said. 

Last weekend’s Test match in Melbourne was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions Tours are and what it means to both the players and the supporters.  

We are expecting another epic battle this weekend against a Wallaby side that showed their quality last week.”

Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions, third Test

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