Carter Gordon will be thrust into his first rugby Test since the World Cup with the code-hopping flyhalf charged with 'running the show' for the Wallabies in a key international against Italy in Udine.
Coach Joe Schmidt has decided the 24-year-old, back in union business after his spell with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL, should take the No.10 jersey for Saturday's Test from Tane Edmed, who's benched following Australia's lacklustre 25-7 defeat to England.
Eight-times capped Gordon, who's signed with Rugby Australia and the Queensland Reds through to the end of 2028, had been struggling with a slight quad injury while being reintegrated into the 15-a-side game in training.
But Schmidt says he's ready, swayed by Gordon's own self-confidence in a potential banana skin of a match seventh-ranked Australia really must win in the hunt for a top-six berth to guarantee themselves an easier draw next month for the 2027 World Cup.
"He's grown in confidence. He's worked really hard in behind the scenes, because it's obviously a pivotal position, you tend to be the fulcrum of the team, the guy running the show a lot of the time," said Schmidt.
"So for us, Carter's just gathered momentum through the last two weeks and this is his opportunity to demonstrate where his starting point is for us."
The No.10 spot has proved problematic, with no-one having nailed down the position since the injury to Noah Lolesio, who had effectively taken ownership of the jersey this time last year on the spring tour.
There are no guarantees for Gordon. With no Tom Lynagh nor Ben Donaldson available, Schmidt also revealed James O'Connor would be back in the mix for the next Test against Ireland.
Now into the three-week international window, the Wallabies are bolstered by the return of blindside flanker Tom Hooper -- but there's no place yet for Exeter clubmate, the John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau, who's been given more "breathing space" after a hectic schedule.
Flanker Pete Samu will be on the bench for his first Test since 2023 following his spell with Bordeaux, while hooker Matt Faessler will start for the first time since the Lions series, having recovered from a calf injury.
The backline surprise is the inclusion of Brumbies winger Corey Toole ahead of Max Jorgensen, who Schmidt revealed had "had a viral, and was off-colour last week" against England.
Fellow winger Dylan Pietsch had also been under the weather, while flanker Carlo Tizzano missed out because of a nagging knee problem.
"We probably didn't get the best of continuity from Japan into the England game, but we've had continuity through the season, we should be able to hit the ground running and be able to perform," said Schmidt, who's out to avoid another shock defeat to the Azzurri as in their 28-27 loss in Florence three years ago.
"In the third game in in this particular block, hopefully we'll see a little bit more of that cohesion."
They'll be up against an Italian side featuring a couple of wingers with an Australian flavour - the Melburnian Monty Ioane on the left and Louis Lynagh, the cosmopolitan son of former World Cup-winning Wallaby Michael Lynagh, on the other edge.
Teams for Australia-Italy international:
Italy
1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Simone Ferrari, 4. Niccolo Cannone, 5. Andrea Zambonin, 6. Ross Vintcent, 7. Manuel Zuliani, 8. Lorenzo Cannone; 9. Stephen Varney, 10. Paolo Garbisi, 11. Monty Ioane, 12. Tommaso Menoncello, 13. Juan Ignacio Brex, 14. Louis Lynagh, 15. Ange Capuozzo.
Replacements: 16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17. Mirco Spagnolo, 18. Marco Riccioni, 19. Federico Ruzza, 20. Alessandro Izekor, 21. Martin Page-Relo, 22. Tommaso Allan, 23. Leonardo Marin.
Australia
1. Angus Bell, 2. Matt Faessler, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Tom Hooper, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson; 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Carter Gordon, 11. Harry Potter, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14. Corey Toole, 15. Andrew Kellaway.
Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Aidan Ross, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Rob Valetini, 20. Pete Samu, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Tane Edmed, 23. Filipo Daugunu.
