Veteran Prop James Slipper Returns to Australia Rugby Squad for New Nations Championship

Veteran Australia prop James Slipper has officially returned to international rugby after being named in the Wallabies squad on Friday for the inaugural Nations Championship. The 37-year-old, who is Australia's most-capped international player with 151 test appearances, will compete in the competition's first three matches scheduled for July under coach Joe Schmidt's leadership.

Slipper was joined in the 37-man squad by three uncapped players: Declan Meredith, Lachlan Shaw, and Miles Amatosero. The selection marks Slipper's comeback to test rugby after he played Super Rugby for the ACT Brumbies this season and recently became the most-capped Super Rugby player in March with his 203rd match. The prop has signed a contract extension through 2027.

The Wallabies will begin their Nations Championship campaign against Ireland in a sold-out match in Sydney on July 4, followed by fixtures against France in Brisbane on July 11 and Italy in Perth on July 18. These three matches form part of the inaugural Nations Championship, which features six teams from the southern hemisphere competing against six teams from the northern hemisphere throughout the year, culminating in a finals weekend in London from November 27-29.

The squad also includes fellow loosehead Angus Bell, who returns after a season-long sabbatical with Ulster in Ireland, and three overseas-based players: British-based Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper, and France-based prop Taniela Tupou. Miles Amatosero, who turned 24 during the selection week, spent three years at Clermont Auvergne in France before joining the squad.

Coach Joe Schmidt commented on the selection process: "There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window. We've settled on a group that we think will work hard and can perform well against three top-tier European teams with the added excitement of competing in the new Nations Championship for the first time."