Wallabies head to Twickenham as pay dispute rumbles on at home
The Wallabies play England at Twickenham on Sunday afternoon, and a pay row back in Australia is threatening to take some of the spotlight. The match is early on Monday morning in Australia.
Twickenham is known as Allianz Stadium for this fixture, because that is the name of its sponsor. It is a different ground from the Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Australia arrive after two heavy defeats by New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup, the long-running annual contest between the two countries. Across those two games the Wallabies conceded 93 points. Head coach Les Kiss is now preparing his side for four matches in the Nations Championship, a new annual international competition. Those two Bledisloe games were also the last to be played under the current player pay deal, a collective bargaining agreement struck in 2023.
The bigger headlines are coming from the boardroom. Rugby Australia sent a letter straight to players setting out its pay offer. It did not go through the Rugby Union Players' Association, known as Rupa, which represents them. Rupa president Tom Robertson said he was disappointed that players were being approached directly while the squad was on tour.
Rugby Australia chair Daniel Herbert argued that Rupa's counter-proposals threaten the future of the game in Australia. Both sides are working from very different positions on money.
Rugby Australia's latest offer would increase payments to both men's and women's players. It would also expand the full-time programme for the Wallaroos, the women's team, who will host the women's World Cup in 2029.
The money picture is tight. Rugby Australia recorded a $37m annual deficit in 2024. Its debts were cleared in part by the 2025 British & Irish Lions matches, and World Rugby is paying a near-$100m fee to Rugby Australia to host the men's World Cup next year.
On the field, there was one eye-catching selection. Kurtley Beale has been recalled to the squad, and he has said he hopes to play at the home World Cup. Jonny Fisher is one of the assistant coaches working with the team.
For England, the test is about their attack. Kiss has said he expects a real challenge from it, and that Australia will need to be sharp in defence to stop the visitors getting into their rhythm.
Those who want the rugby itself will find plenty to watch. The November internationals will also decide the first winners of the Nations Championship, so every result carries weight in the table. For the Wallabies, Sunday is a chance to show that the Bledisloe scorelines were a blip rather than a pattern. Whether the pay talks can settle in time is a separate question, and one that will run in the background all weekend.
