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Queensland enforcer Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is set to be a shock omission when Joe Schmidt names his final Wallabies squad on Friday morning.
Schmidt is coaching his last three Wallabies Tests in July, against Ireland, France and Italy, before handing over the reins to incoming head coach Les Kiss.
But after starting his tenure two years ago by naming a Wallabies squad with a handful of shock selections, Schmidt appears to be going out with the same mindset by omitting Salakaia-Loto, according to informed sources.
The 123-kilogram, 198-centimetre Reds lock is one of the most physical and aggressive forwards in Australian rugby, and has been in strong form for Queensland this season. Salakaia-Loto has 45 caps for the Wallabies after debuting in 2017 but has mysteriously fallen in and out of favour at Wallabies level under Schmidt.
The 29-year-old played 11 Tests in 2024 but was then contentiously left out of the Wallabies’ squad for the British and Irish Lions series. Keen to prove a point, Salakaia-Loto was a dominant figure in three midweek tour games against the Lions – for Queensland, the AUNZ Invitational side and the Indigenous and Pasifika XV.
Salakaia-Loto didn’t win a call-up for any Lions Tests, with Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams and Will Skelton preferred as the second-rowers, but he went on to win four more caps in 2025.
The omission of Salakaia-Loto will come as a shock to many, given he is one of a small stable of aggressive tighthead locks in Australia, and with Skelton having already been ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Salakaia-Loto was one of the locks training with the Wallabies this week in Sydney in a wider squad, along with Frost, Williams and Josh Canham, as well as youngsters Miles Amatosero and Lachie Shaw.
Only Frost and Williams have serious experience at Test level, although it is foreseeable that versatile backrower Tom Hooper is being looked at as a lock for the Wallabies, given the comparative depth in loose forward ranks.
Despite RA boss Peter Horne saying this week that Schmidt had worked with Kiss in selecting the Wallabies squad for July, the omission of Salakaia-Loto also seems to confirm Schmidt is still in the driving seat for that month’s fixtures.
Kiss has been coaching Salakaia-Loto at the Reds for the past two years, mostly as a starting lock, and has spoken about the importance of Salakaia-Loto as a physical presence and leader in his pack. Kiss will name his first squad at the end of July ahead of his maiden Test match against Japan on August 8.
The Wallabies are expected to name Hooper and fellow Exeter star Len Ikitau, who are playing in the English Premiership final on Sunday morning.
It is uncertain if they will be considered for selection in the first Test against Ireland at Allianz Stadium. Assistant coach Laurie Fisher indicated on Tuesday the pair will be likely overlooked for the Irish given a lack of preparation time, but informed sources say there is still a chance that Ikitau and Hooper will play.
Taniela Tupou is in a similar boat, given he is set to line up for Racing 92 in the semi-finals of the Top 14 on Sunday.
But if the Paris club down powerhouse Toulouse, they will progress to the final the following week and Tupou would then be a certain absentee from the first Test against Ireland.
The Wallabies squad is set to be named at 11am on Friday morning.
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