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Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.au
Liam Wright’s run as the 89th Wallabies captain has been halted at one game, with injury ruling out the Queenslander for the second Test against Wales in Melbourne on Saturday night.
ESPN understands that Wright’s omission is likely to be the only personnel change to the starting XV for the AAMI Park encounter, but Charlie Cale’s inclusion as his replacement will push Rob Valetini to No. 6.
Wright was a shock selection as the Wallabies skipper last week, given he hadn’t played Test rugby since 2019, but the 26-year-old did a fine job leading the team before he was replaced by Cale in the second half.
That substitution saw the captaincy shift to Allan Alaalatoa, who had replaced Taniela Tupou at halftime, but with the Rebels prop set to be retained in the No. 3 jersey, veteran loosehead James Slipper looms as the man most likely to lead the side in Melbourne.
Slipper was named co-captain alongside Michael Hooper under Eddie Jones at the start of the 2023 Test season, before the former Wallabies coach then cycled through four further leaders.
It is unknown how serious Wright’s injury is, with Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt to provide further details when he formally announces his team at lunchtime on Thursday.
Wright’s career has been hampered by injury in recent years, with separate shoulder, hand and syndesmosis complaints cruelling his ability to impress for the Reds. But the Queenslanders played in all but one of the team’s Super Rugby fixtures this season, clearly impressing Schmidt and his assistant coaches along the way.
ESPN understands there has been further injury trouble among the replacements, with Queensland’s Tom Lynagh picking up a knock at training.
Lynagh was one of seven Wallabies to make their Test debut last weekend, the Reds playmaker coming off the bench in the second half and later kicking a vital conversion after Tom Wright’s breathtaking try, which gave Australia the breathing space they needed as they recorded a 25-16 win.
It is expected that Ben Donaldson, who played fullback and fly-half at the World Cup last year, will come onto the bench as Lynagh’s replacement, while Cale’s likely promotion to the starting side means Australia will also require another back-row substitute.