The Wallabies Japan Test is firmly in focus for skipper Harry Wilson, who has made clear that revenge against coach Eddie Jones plays no part in Australia’s thinking ahead of next Saturday’s clash at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Wilson, just 25 years old and firmly established as the Wallabies’ first-choice No. 8, admits his omission from Jones’s 2023 Rugby World Cup squad stung — but insists the experience shaped him into the player and leader he is today.
Wallabies Japan Test: Wilson Turns World Cup Heartbreak Into Motivation
Jones’s ill-fated 2023 World Cup campaign ended in humiliation — a pool-stage exit in France that ranks as one of Australia’s darkest hours in Test rugby. Wilson was left out of that squad entirely. Since then, Jones departed Australia for a second stint at the helm of Japan’s Brave Blossoms, while Wilson has gone from overlooked to indispensable, earning the captaincy and making the No. 8 shirt his own.
“Obviously it was extremely disappointing that year for myself personally,” Wilson told reporters before the squad departed Sydney. “But for me it probably was a year where I grew a lot as a football player and as a person. It’s really helped me over the last couple of years — you learn to never feel comfortable in a jersey or in a squad because you know how easily it can get taken away from you.”
That kind of hard-earned perspective is exactly what you want from a captain walking into a tricky away fixture. Furthermore, Wilson confirmed the squad’s mindset is firmly on performance, not settling scores. BBC Sport has documented how Jones’s coaching tenures never lack for drama — and this reunion promises plenty of subplots.
A Reunion With Old Faces — And a Childhood Mate Wearing the Opposition Jersey
There is nonetheless a personal dimension to this fixture that goes beyond the professional. Wilson will come face to face with Japan backrower Ben Gunter, a fellow product of Gunnedah in country New South Wales. The pair grew up together, with Wilson’s father ferrying them both to training sessions. Jack Cornelsen, Sam Greene and Dylan Riley are also Australian-born players lining up for Japan, adding further storylines to an already compelling contest.
Meanwhile, playmaker Carter Gordon — who has returned to rugby union after a brief NRL stint — is among the current Wallabies who experienced Jones’s disastrous World Cup campaign first-hand. Nevertheless, Wilson was emphatic: Jones is not the story here.
“We’re definitely not focusing on the fact that Eddie Jones is the coach,” Wilson said. “You want to win every Test match and I’m sure a few of the boys would love it, but we’re very focused on ourselves.”
After Tokyo, Australia face four Tests in Europe to close out a mammoth year. Last season’s tour brought a landmark result — their first win at Twickenham against England since 2015 — and Wilson believes that breakthrough has built genuine belief heading into this European swing. For more on Australia’s upcoming RWC 2027 preparations, the Wallabies are building serious momentum. This group know themselves now. The next chapter starts in Tokyo.
