Wallabies record-holder hints Perth could be final Test
Record-breaking Australian prop James Slipper said Sunday that this was his final year in the gold Wallabies shirt and hinted that next week’s Test against New Zealand could be his last.
Slipper became just the third player to reach the milestone of 150 Test appearances during the 33-24 loss in Auckland on Saturday, joining Alun Wyn Jones of Wales and New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock.
The 36-year-old said both Jones and Whitelock had sent him video messages, a gesture he described as “really special”.
Australia face New Zealand again in Perth on Saturday in the final round of this season’s Rugby Championship, when Slipper said it would “potentially” be his Wallabies swansong.
“This will be the last year I’ll be playing, just whether that ends next week or on the spring (northern hemisphere) tour will still be confirmed,” Slipper said.
He said he would only join the squad for Australia’s northern hemisphere tour next month if it was deemed “best for the team”.
“There’s still a bit of water that needs to go under the bridge, so I won’t call it now,” Slipper said.
“It comes down to what’s best for the team. That’s probably what’s going to make my decision.”
Slipper said a fifth World Cup for him, when Australia hosts the 2027 edition, was “way too far away”.
The Wallabies hit rock bottom when they failed to get out of their pool at the 2023 World Cup, but Slipper said he would leave them in much better shape.
“The improvement we’ve seen over the last 18 months has been really positive for our group and for rugby in Australia,” Slipper said.
“We’re still just probably not getting as many results as we want, and consistent results, but in terms of the base of the game and what we want to see, we’re seeing it.”
Slipper said he would play Super Rugby next year with the Brumbies, where another record is within sight.
He has played 197 Super Rugby matches for the Queensland Reds (103) and Brumbies (94) and needs just five more appearances to match the all-time record of 202 held by retired Canterbury Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett.
