SYDNEY (AP) — Veteran prop James Slipper has officially returned to international rugby after being named in the Australia squad Friday for the first three Nations Championship matches in July.Slipper, who foreshadowed his return earlier this week, was joined by the uncapped trio of Declan Meredith, Lachlan Shaw and Miles Amatosero in Joe Schmidt’s 37-man squad.The 37-year-old Slipper, who is Australia’s most-capped international player with 151 test appearances, played Super Rugby for the ACT Brumbies this season and has signed on for 2027. In March, he became the most-capped Super Rugby player after his 203rd match in the southern hemisphere tournament. The Wallabies will begin the season in front of a sold-out crowd against Ireland in Sydney on July 4 before taking on France at Brisbane on July 11 and Italy in Perth on July 18.
Those first three tests form part of the first Nations Championship which will see six teams from the southern hemisphere take on six teams from the northern hemisphere throughout the year, with a finals weekend held in London from Nov. 27-29 to decide the overall winner.
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Fellow loosehead Angus Bell also featured in the Wallaby squad following a season-long sabbatical with Ulster in Ireland. Amatosero, who turned 24 during the week, spent three years at Clermont Auvergne in France.The British-based pair of Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper and France-based prop Taniela Tupou were also selected.
