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Liam Wright

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Liam Wright
Wright with the Reds U20s in 2016
Born (1997-11-06) 6 November 1997 (age 28)
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb)[1]
SchoolAnglican Church Grammar School
UniversityQueensland University of Technology[2]
Rugby union career
Position Flanker
Current team Ospreys
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016 Easts Tigers
Correct as of 21 October 2017
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2019 Queensland Country 12 (0)
2018–2025 Reds 87 (55)
2026– Ospreys 0 (0)
Correct as of 15 June 2026
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017 Australia U20 9 (5)
2019–2024 Australia 6 (0)
Correct as of 6 July 2024

Liam Wright (born 6 November 1997) is an Australian rugby union player currently playing for the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC). He has most recently played for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby, being the teams co-captain alongside Tate McDermott. He also played for Queensland Country in the National Rugby Championship (NRC).[3] His usual position is flanker. He has also captained Australia in one international Test match, receiving the honour under coach Joe Schmidt for the Wallabies' 2024 Test series against Wales.[4][5]

Early life

[edit]

Wright was born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 1997 to mother Lee, and father Glynn, an accountant.[6] Growing up, Wright and his father were passionate about rugby. He would reportedly wake at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning and watch every Super Rugby match they'd pre-recorded overnight.[6] Wright was reportedly a big fan of the Sharks franchise based in the same city he was born,[6] and even stated to Rugby.com.au that "I probably imagined myself more in a Sharks jersey and watched the Springboks a bit more growing up."[7]

In 2004, at 7-years-old, Wright's family moved to Australia, settling in Sydney, New South Wales.[6] By age 14, the Wright family had moved to Brisbane[8] where Liam began his education at Anglican Church Grammar School (nicknamed "Churchie").[6] Wright had been in the schools 1st XV squad throughout 2014 and 2015.[6] In an article about Liam's life following his departure from the Queensland Reds, the InDaily reported that he was a part of a star-studded squad in his youth days: "Wright was a key member of the "uber" Churchie 1st XV team that dominated GPS rugby in 2014–15 and courtesy of Kalyn Ponga, featured widely on YouTube. Angus Scott-Young, another Op 1 student, Brodie Croft, Mack Mason, Jaydn Su'A, Izaia Perese, prop Richie Asiata, now a Reds Squad member – it was a heck of a team."[6]

Career

[edit]

Reds

[edit]

Wright began his senior rugby career with Easts Tigers, playing Queensland Premier Rugby in 2016.[9] He was selected in the Australian Under-20 team in 2016 and 2017 for the World Championships in Italy and Georgia.[10] Wright joined the Queensland Country team and made his debut in Australia's National Rugby Championship (NRC) in October 2016, playing against the NSW Country Eagles.[11]

In 2017, he signed a two-year professional contract with the Queensland Reds for the following two seasons.[12] After impressing national selectors during the NRC in 2017, Wright played for Australia against the Barbarians in Sydney,[13] and was then chosen as one of two development players in the Wallabies tour squad for the 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals.[14][15]

Wright made his Super Rugby debut for the Reds off the bench in the team's first match of the 2018 season, playing against the Rebels in Melbourne.[16]

He was selected in the Australia squad for the Bledisloe Cup in 2019,[17] and made his test debut against New Zealand at Eden Park in August that year.[4]

After suffering a run of injuries, Wright returned to the Wallabies fold under newly-appointed coach Joe Schmidt in July 2024. He was made captain for their first test against Wales on their two-Test tour of Australia.[4][5]

In October 2025, after eight years at the Queensland Reds, Wright departed the club after a breakdown on contractual agreement terms.[18][19] Wright had played just 58 minutes of rugby in 2025 after sustaining a shoulder injury against Wales on their 2024 tour of Australia.[19]

Ospreys

[edit]

In June 2026, the Ospreys club in Wales, one of the four regional teams, announced Wright as their newest signing ahead of the 2026–27 United Rugby Championship season.[20][21] Wright joined fellow Australians Ryan Smith and Lalakai Foketi.[22] WalesOnline described the signing as a "coup",[23] noting that the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had identified Wright as a potential international recruit.[24] Eligible to represent the Wales national team through his Welsh grandfather,[21][23] Wright is expected to satisfy the international stand-down requirements by 2027, having not represented Australia since mid-2024, thereby making him available for Welsh selection.[21][23]

International career

[edit]

In 2016, Wright represented the Australia under 20s team at the 2016 U20 Championship in England.[2] Wright featured as the teams primary lock forward, and scored one try for the side as they finished sixth.[25]

In July 2019, Wright was named in Australia's 31-man squad for the 2019 Rugby Championship,[26][27] which was shortened due to the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup. Wright made his international debut on 17 August 2019 against New Zealand in the second Bledisloe Cup Rugby World Cup warm-up Test.[28][29] Wright, who replaced Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the 60th minute, was named Wallaby #928.[1] Wright played in the Wallabies' following warm-up Test against Samoa at Western Sydney Stadium,[30] although he was not called-up for the eventual Rugby World Cup squad in Japan.

The following year (2020), Wright was called-up to the Wallabies squad for their Bledisloe Cup Tests,[31] and later Tri Nations Series,[31] which was hosted in Australia due to logistical issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Wright played in three matches, all coming off the bench.[29]

After a three-year absence from international rugby, Wright was named in the Wallabies team ahead of the two-Test Welsh tour in June 2024.[32] Days before the first Test on 6 July, Wright was named team captain by new coach Joe Schmidt.[33][34] Wright, who had played just five Tests and was the least experienced Australian captain since Ken Catchpole in the 1961,[33] said he was taken by surprise but also mentioned that it was "a massive honour and a really special moment."[33] Wright captained Australia to a 25–16 win at Sydney Football Stadium, for which they went on to win the series 2–0.[35] However, Wright did not feature again for the Wallabies for the remainder of the year.

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Liam Wright | Player Profile | Wallabies". wallabies.rugby. Rugby Australia.
  2. 1 2 "Captain means business: Reds and Wallabies star tackles uni". qut.edu.au. Queensland University of Technology. 5 June 2025.
  3. ↑ "Liam Wright". It's Rugby. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Greenwood, Emma (19 August 2019). "Newest Wallaby, rising star, extend contracts with Reds". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Liam Wright set to be made Wallabies Captain". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Wright stuff – young Reds captain is tapping into the spirit of generations". InDaily. Solstice Media. 9 April 2021.
  7. ↑ Greenwood, Emma (12 January 2020). "From Bokke beginnings to Reds royalty: Liam Wright's journey to the Queensland captaincy". Rugby.com.au.
  8. ↑ Worthington, Sam (5 July 2024). "'He'll put his head into the dark places': Liam Wright's journey from mowing the field to 'shocked' Wallabies captain". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  9. ↑ "BLK Queensland Premier Rugby preview - Round 17". reds Rugby. 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "Liam Wright: International career". It's Rugby. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  11. ↑ "Liam Wright: NRC 2016". It's Rugby. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  12. ↑ Tucker, Jim (2 September 2017). "Queensland Reds can bank on 'St George' Smith for another season". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. Retrieved 30 October 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ↑ "Wallabies v Barbarians: Injuries to Jack Dempsey and Lukhan Tui sour Australian win". The Sunday Telegraph. Sydney. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ↑ Decent, Tom (29 October 2017). "Blake Enever, Matt Philip, Jack Maddocks and Liam Wright the bolters for Wallabies spring tour". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  15. ↑ "Uncapped locks make Wallabies tour squad". Special Broadcasting Service. 29 October 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  16. ↑ "Rebels v Reds". Rugby Australia. 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  17. ↑ Cully, Paul (18 August 2019). "Wallabies far better off than last year, despite Bledisloe blacklash". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019.
  18. ↑ Worthington, Sam (27 October 2025). "'I've been in tears over injury at times': Queensland Reds part ways with ex-Wallabies skipper Liam Wright". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  19. 1 2 Monteverde, Monte (27 October 2025). "'Exceptional' back-rower Liam Wright parts ways with Queensland Reds". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "Aussie captain Liam Wright joins the Ospreys". ospreysrugby.com. Ospreys. 9 June 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 "Ospreys sign former Australia captain Wright". BBC Sport. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Ospreys sign Australia centre Foketi". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 Thomas, Steffan (9 June 2026). "Ospreys sign Australia captain in major coup and he can play for Wales next year". WalesOnline. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  24. ↑ Thomas, Steffan (27 May 2026). "Ospreys weigh up move for former Wallabies captain". WalesOnline.
  25. ↑ Phillips, Sam (13 June 2017). "Perese powers Aussie U20s to big win". Rugby.com.au.
  26. ↑ "Wallabies TRC Squad Announced". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 4 July 2019.
  27. ↑ Newman, Beth; Greenwood, Emma (7 July 2019). "One Percenters: Churchie super team keeps charging, Cheika's lucky hat and Samu supports old mates". Rugby.com.au.
  28. ↑ "Why Brad Thorn chose this 22-year-old to lead the Queensland Reds". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. 8 January 2020. Wright, who made his Test debut in the Eden Park Bledisloe clash last year, has captaincy experience under Thorn with both the Queensland under-20s and Queensland Country.
  29. 1 2 "Liam Wright: Stats – All Rugby". all.rugby. All Rugby.
  30. ↑ Doran, Christy (2 September 2019). "Rugby World Cup: Why Wallabies selectors will likely wrap star players in cotton wool against Samoa for final 'warm up' Test". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia.
  31. 1 2 "Rugby Championship: Wallabies dealt huge Bledisloe blow with Toomua set for long time on the sidelines". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. 20 October 2020.
  32. ↑ "Wallabies squad confirmed for July Tests". wallabies.rugby. Rugby Australia. 21 June 2024.
  33. 1 2 3 Decent, Tom (5 July 2024). "'It was a full surprise': Wright shocked to be named Wallabies captain". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  34. ↑ "Wallabies name Liam Wright as captain for opening Wales Test, Wallaroos include four debutants to face Fijiana". ABC News. 4 July 2024.
  35. ↑ Griffiths, Gareth (13 July 2024). "Australia win thriller to clinch series against Wales". BBC Sport.
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