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With the 2026 Junior Wallabies squads now pretty much locked in across the Coffs Harbour camp and the U20 Rugby Championship, I thought it’d be interesting to look at which players could realistically push into Super Rugby squads by 2027.

This list includes everyone involved in the main Australia U20 setup this year, plus 2025 Junior Wallabies back-rowers Beau Morrison and Ade Ekanayake, who I think are still firmly in the conversation as future Super Rugby players. Some are already on the radar, some have debuted, and others are probably still a year or two away but there’s a lot of talent here.

Jasper Asi

Sam Blank

Toby Brial

Dylan Bretton

Oscar Cleary

Luca Cleverley

Nicholas Conway

Cooper Eagle

Louis Fenwicke

Zach Fittler

Isaac Fonua

Jonty Fowler

Leo Jaques

Jacob Job

Ewald Kruger

Eli Langi

Edwin Langi

Marshall Le Maitre

Tavita Loughland

Finn Mackay

Tyler Maybery

Beau Morrison

Tom Robinson

Will Ross

Harper Strachan

Taione Taka

Kingsley Uys

Cooper Watters

Riley Whitfield

Frankie Goldsbrough

Angus Grover

John Grenfell

Jonah Rangiwai

Treyvon Pritchard

Chayse Geros

Nick Hill

Ade Ekanayake

Personally, I think Beau Morrison could definitely push into the Brumbies squad, while Ade Ekanayake would be a really valuable addition for the Waratahs if both decide to move back from the Sevens program. I know they’re technically from the 2025 cohort rather than this year’s group, but both really impressed me last season and honestly look like they could become vital assets for future Wallabies back rows because of their athleticism and versatility.

Tom Robinson, Eli Langi, Edwin Langi, Toby Brial, Nick Hill and Marshall Le Maitre all look like players who could realistically land Super Rugby squad spots next season. Nicholas Conway is probably the safest lock here given he’s already signed a multi-year deal with the Reds, while Leo Jaques and Finn Mackay are already in Super Rugby environments and should stay there in 2027. Treyvon Pritchard also looks locked in at the Reds after already getting opportunities this year.

I could also see Isaac Fonua making the Waratahs squad next year, while Zach Fittler feels like someone the Tahs could bring into a longer-term development contract. Chayse Geros is another player I’d expect to be in a Super Rugby setup soon because of how versatile he is across the backline. Angus Grover also feels like a natural fit as a future development halfback option for the Waratahs, while Will Ross looks capable of becoming a full-time Reds squad member next season.

Then there are players who I think probably need another year or two of development before making that jump. Jasper Asi, Sam Blank, Dylan Bretton, Oscar Cleary, Luca Cleverley, Cooper Eagle, Louis Fenwicke, Jonty Fowler, Jacob Job, Ewald Kruger, Tavita Loughland, Tyler Maybery, Harper Strachan, Taione Taka, Kingsley Uys, Riley Whitfield, John Grenfell and Jonah Rangiwai all fit into that category for me, even though several of them clearly have Super Rugby potential long term.

Cooper Watters is one I’m genuinely unsure on. I could see him getting a chance with the Waratahs as a back-three option, but there’s also a huge amount of competition there, so another year playing high-level club rugby might be the better pathway first.

What do you people think? Who out of this group do you see playing Super Rugby in 2027?

I know this is still a long way off, considering the international season has not even started yet, but the news about the Pritchard brothers got me thinking that this series would be the perfect opportunity to throw some new players into the Wallabies system.

Here is a 23 I feel could be picked if we heavily rotated the squad to save the best players for the tougher Tests later in the year:

1. Schoupp
2. Lachlan Loergan
3. Massimo
4. Shaw
5. Philip
6. Champion de Crespigny
7. Tizzano
8. Joe Brial
9. Tate Mcdermott
10. Lynagh
11. Tim Ryan
12. Henry
13. Kadin Pritchard
14. Zac Lomax
15. Mac Grealy
16. Dobbins
17. Lambert
18. Botha
19. Amatosero
20. Reimer
21. Thomas
22. HMP
23. Treyvon Pritchard

This is probably a bit far-fetched and definitely early to be talking about, but I honestly would not mind seeing this type of team for the Japan series. It would be great to see the Pritchard brothers involved, as it could definitely encourage them to stay.

I would also say I’m probably missing Sid Harvey, and I would not be upset if he was swapped into the team for one of the back three players.

What do people think? Is this too unrealistic, or would people be happy to see Les Kiss and the Wallabies coaching staff use this two-match series to blood some new talent? I feel this team would definitely be good enough to beat Japan.

We’ve already seen Rugby Australia make big moves for players like Angus Crichton — players with genuine rugby union backgrounds who were pulled towards league because of the money, exposure and pathway opportunities in the NRL. And honestly, it raises an interesting question heading towards every World Cup cycle: should Rugby Australia continue targeting a handful of elite league players who already understand the game and could transition back to union relatively quickly.

You look at the likes of Joey Walsh, Heamasi Makasini, Rex Bassingthwaighte and Savelio Tamale. All still young players with strong rugby union backgrounds who have also developed at a high level in league systems, with most either already playing first grade or pushing towards regular NRL appearances. By the time any potential switch happens, they could all cost serious money. Then there’s someone like Reece Walsh. He hasn’t come through rugby union pathways in the same way, but he has recently suggested he’d potentially be open to a future code switch once his Broncos contract expires at the end of 2029. With the 2031 Rugby World Cup and Brisbane 2032 Olympics potentially lining up through XVs or Sevens, you can already see why Rugby Australia would at least keep an eye on it, especially considering he’s already a superstar in rugby league and one of the NRL’s most marketable players.

From a commercial standpoint, there’s definitely hype when these signings happen. We saw it with Joseph Suaalii, we’ve seen the discussion around Zac Lomax and Angus Crichton, and even Mark Nawaqanitawase leaving the Roosters for Japanese rugby union will likely bring more attention towards the Wallabies around Rugby Championship and World Cup time. But does that attention actually last? While Rugby Australia and Super Rugby have spoken about increased interest and viewership, it still feels like a lot of the hype only shines a spotlight on the game for a few weeks before quickly fading away again.

If you go back to the early 2000s, when players like Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Andrew Walker switched codes, it felt different. The Wallabies were consistently a top-three team in the world, still winning Bledisloe Cups and competing right at the top end of international rugby. Back then, bringing in league stars made sense because rugby union already had strong public engagement and momentum, so those transitions amplified an already healthy product. The question now is whether the same effect really exists in the modern game. Australia is still improving and still has quality players, but the landscape is different. So do future code switches actually move the needle in the same way they once did in 2003?

So what do people think? Is it smart for Rugby Australia to “buy back” elite talent every few years, or should all the focus now go into the improved junior pathways and retention systems that are finally starting to be built again?

We all know Tom Wrights quality. He was arguably the best 15 in the world for periods last season but understandably he has been a little slow of the mark since returning from injury. Would it make sense to rush him straight into the starting XV for the Ireland test or give more time and maybe try Jorgo at 15 or even give Campbell or Grealy a go? Interested what people think?