McLaughlin-Phillips Earns Maiden Wallabies Call-Up

Les Kiss has handed Harry McLaughlin-Phillips his first Wallabies squad call-up, for the Test against South Africa in Perth in two weeks.

The vacancy at No 10 opened when Carter Gordon broke his leg. Ben Donaldson and Declan Meredith keep their places after the series win in Argentina, and Kiss chose the Western Force playmaker over fit-again Tom Lynagh and Japan-based Noah Lolesio to fill the gap.

Foley, 37, and O'Connor, 36, have only recently signed to return to Super Rugby clubs next season, and Kiss wants game time from both before turning to them.

"We know experience stands for a lot, without a doubt. I think the experience that we do have in [Foley and O'Connor], we'd like to see them play some games, and they'll get plenty of opportunity," Kiss said. "When you look at experience, you can pull them in at any time and they'll really get on page straight away, and we know what we get from them."

McLaughlin-Phillips came through the Junior Wallabies and spent four years at the Queensland Reds, three of them under Kiss, before joining the Force this year. He faced Lynagh at the weekend as the Reds flyhalf made his first appearance in a year troubled by injury. The Force won 29-28 after Lynagh went off at half-time.

"[McLaughlin-Phillips] is the most battle-hardened of all of the options," Kiss said. "I thought he played very well on the weekend in the Force's victory over the Reds, so we just felt that he was the right one."