_(Tom_Wright_cropped).jpg) Wright withAustralia in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Thomas Wright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1997-07-21)21 July 1997 (age 28) Randwick,New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (212 lb; 15 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Five-eighth, Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback,Wing,Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:[1] As of 14 June 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thomas Wright (born 21 July 1997) is an Australian professionaldual-coderugby footballer who plays as afullback forSuper Rugby club theACT Brumbies and theAustralia national team. Wright previously playedrugby league as afive-eighth for theManly Warringah Sea Eagles in theNational Rugby League (NRL). He made his Australia international rugby union debut against in theBledisloe Cup match againstNew Zealand in thesecond round of the2020 Tri Nations Series. Wright scored a try with his first touch of the ball in the match, and Australia defeated New Zealand 24–22.
Thomas Wright was born inRandwick, in theEastern Suburbs ofSydney,New South Wales, Australia in 1997.[2][3] In his youth he playedrugby league for theClovelly Crocodiles andLa Perouse Panthers as well asrugby union for theClovelly Eagles Junior Rugby Club, where he was their record try-scorer.[4] In 2009, Wright began his education atSt Joseph's College, Hunters Hill where he eventually advanced into the schools 1st XV.[5] In his final year at school (2014), Wright represented his school while being selected in both theGPS 1st XV and the New South Wales 1st XV.[4] The following year (2015), Wright was selected in the New South Wales Boys Rugby Sevens team, the youth rugby squad for theCommonwealth Youth Games (CYG), and was also selected in theAustralian Schoolboys rugby union team.[6] During his school rugby tenure, Wright mostly played as anoutside centre (No. 13) but also operated as afly-half[5] and anoutside back.[7] In 2015 Wrightruptured hisanterior cruciate ligament (ACL).[7] Despite his injury, Australian sports blog,Green and Gold Rugby (GAGR), named him as their left wing (No. 11) in the "GPS Team of the Year".[7]
In August 2015, theManly Warringah Sea Eagles of theNational Rugby League (NRL) signed Wright on a three-year deal.[6] Throughout 2016 Wright played with the Under-20s team in the NRL'sNational Youth Competition (NYC), also known as the Holden Cup.[8] In 2017 Wright played as the Sea Eagles' NYCfive-eighth throughout their 2017 Premiership-winning season.[8] The team, who finishedwooden-spooners the previous season,[9] managed to scrape into thefinals series point difference. The Sea Eagles NYC team successfully made theGrand Final and defeated theParramatta Eels NYC 20–18.[9] In total, Wright played 36 games for the Sea Eagles' NYC team over the two years.[8]
Throughout March and April 2018, Wright played eight games for theBlacktown Workers (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles reserves) in theNSW Cup, scoring four tries in the process.[8] On 12 May 2018, Wright made his NRL debut for the Sea Eagles in their38–24 victory against theBrisbane Broncos atLang Park,Brisbane.[10] Wright only made another three appearances for the team throughout the rest of the2018 NRL season, with the majority of his season being played for theBlacktown Workers in theNSW Cup.[8] By the end of the season, Wright had requested a release from his contract.[11]
In September 2018,The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Wright had signed a two-year deal with theCanberra-basedBrumbies in theSuper Rugby.[2][11] Wright was named as one of many new signings for the club, for whichThe Sydney Morning Herald described as an "out of the box recruitment strategy".[11] Wright was reportedly coming out of contract with theManly Warringah Sea Eagles when he was contacted byBrumbies coachDan McKellar. Talking toRugby.com.au, Wright stated of the talks: "We started talking about how they want to play and that game plan would ideally suit how I like to play and best – using the ball, an open style of footy. Which is how Australian rugby is starting to play again now, which is really exciting... It's an open brand of footy, playing what's in front of them. So when the opportunity came about to come back to rugby union, I am 21 now and I didn't want to let that opportunity slip to be completely honest."[12] CoachDan McKellar said that he had been aware of Wright's presence, and spoke approvingly of his skills, stating: "We've been aware of Tom's rugby union background and heard he was interested in coming back to the game. He's got X-factor and there's definitely potential there. He's creative, good footwork, good speed and good acceleration. He can create something out of nothing. He's got a good short kicking game and that comes off the back of a couple of games in rugby league. And he's not afraid to take the ball to the line, he's brave enough to dig in and they're good qualities to have."[11]
On 23 February 2019, Wright made his professional rugby union debut for the Brumbies inRound 2 of the2019 Super Rugby season against theChiefs. Wright came on as a substitute in the 70th minute for fullbackTom Banks. The Brumbies won the match at home, 54–17.[13][14] In thefollowing round, Wright, whom again, came off the bench for fullback Tom Banks, scored his first try for the Brumbies in a 30-point loss to theHurricanes inPalmerston North.[15] Despite it being Wright's debut year, he showcased his most versatile season to date by playing across four different positions on the field (fullback, right wing, left wing, inside centre), also highlighting the tight competition between the Brumbies' backline positions.[16]
In 2020, Wright played in five of the six opening Brumbies' matches.[17] However, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, theseason was cancelled.[18] Wright would go on to play in eight of the Brumbies' nine matches in the revampedSuper Rugby AU.[17] The Brumbies finished the season top of the ladder. Wright started on the left wing in the Brumbies' homeGrand Final victory against theQueensland Reds. Wright finished the season the second-highest try scorer, behindFilipo Daugunu.[19] In the middle of the year, there was speculation Wright may go back to rugby league after Rugby Australia froze all contract negotiations with Super Rugby players due to financial uncertainty.[20] In August, however, it was reported that Wright had re-signed with the Brumbies for thefollowing season,[21] which allowed him to make his international debut forAustralia months later in the2020 Tri Nations Series.
Wright missed the first six rounds of the2021 Super Rugby AU season after suffering bone bruising on his knee during pre-season training.[22] Wright returned to the first-team squad againstrivals theNew South Wales Waratahs inRound 7. Starting on the right wing, Wright scored one try for the team, which proved to be vital, as the Brumbies won 22–24.[23] Wright scored a further three tries in his next three appearances for the Brumbies, all coming from the left wing.[17] Overall, Wright featured in ten of the Brumbies' 2021 fixtures across theSuper Rugby AU andSuper Rugby Trans-Tasman.[17]
The2022 season marked another pivotal transition in Wright's career, as he was formally repositioned to starting fullback for both club and country.[17] Over the course of the season, he featured in nineteen matches on the right wing, one on the left wing, and four at fullback (due to injured teammateTom Banks)[24] — a notable shift from the previous year, during which he spent the majority of his time on the left wing.[17] This strategic realignment coincided with a standout year for Wright, who finished as the leading Australian try-scorer in theinaugural Super Rugby Pacific competition.[25] It was also his most industrious season to date, with Wright appearing in sixteen matches, only two of which saw him substituted.[17] The Brumbies finished fourth on the ladder, the highest-placed Australian side, securing a quarter-final victory over the Hurricanes[26] before suffering a narrow one-point defeat to the Blues in a tightly contested semi-final.[27]
In 2023, Tom Wright, entering his fifth season with the Brumbies, transitioned permanently into the fullback role under new coachStephen Larkham — a move widely regarded as both inevitable and strategic.[28][29] The departure of key backsIrae Simone andTom Banks created a vacancy,[30] while the high-profile signing ofAustralia sevens standoutCorey Toole added further impetus for the reshuffle.[31] Wright featured in 14 of the Brumbies' 16 matches, including both finals appearances, anchoring the backfield with consistency. Notably, his attacking output dipped compared to previous seasons, registering just three tries over the course of the campaign. Ahead ofRound 3,The Canberra Times andThe Sydney Morning Herald underscored the significance of Wright's positional shift by framing the Brumbies' clash with theQueensland Reds as a de facto audition for the Wallabies' fullback jersey, pitting Wright against the Reds'Jordan Petaia in a high-stakes early season litmus test.[32][33]
In 2024, Wright solidified his status as a cornerstone of the Brumbies' backline, featuring in all 16 matches of the season and being substituted only once.[17][34] He concluded the campaign as the leading Australian try-scorer with 10 tries — ranking among the top five in the competition overall — and was lauded byRugbyPass as "one of the very best counter-attacking and broken-field runners in Super Rugby Pacific."[34] Wright's impact extended well beyond the scoreboard. He ranked fourth in total carries (trailing only teammateRob Valetini) and led the entire competition in metres run, finishing over 100 metres ahead of his nearest rival, theChiefs'Etene Nanai-Seturo.[34] He also placed fourth in defenders beaten, underscoring his potency with ball in hand and his ability to consistently challenge defensive structures.[34] Building on his emergence in 2023 as a secondary playmaker, Wright's influence within the Brumbies' attacking framework deepened in 2024.[34] He became a pivotal figure in orchestrating second- and third-phase movements, seamlessly combining with left-edge partnerCorey Toole to form a lethal counter-attacking tandem.[34]
In September 2020, Wright was named in Australia coachDave Rennie's 44-player squad ahead of their opening fixture againstNew Zealand in the2020 Tri Nations Series.[35] Wright made his international debut for Australia on 7 November 2020. Wallaby #939,[5] Wright was named on the right wing. After just two minutes into the match, Wright scored a try with his first touch of the ball atLang Park,Brisbane.[36] Australia won the match 24–22.[36] Wright played in another two fixtures of the 2020 Tri Nations Series.
Wright was among eleven Brumbies players to be called-up to the Wallabies for the2021 France tour of Australia.[37] Playing in the first two tests,[17] Wright was selected again in thefinal round of the2021 Rugby Championship againstArgentina and theend-of-year Spring tour.[38] Wright's impact on the Wallabies throughout 2021 was underwhelming, scoring just one try from seven matches.[17] Australian sports news websiteThe Roar gave him a rating of 4.5 out of 10 for his international performances in 2021.[39]
Wright was selected in the Wallabies' 35-man squad forEngland's2022 tour of Australia.[40] He featured in the first two Tests on the right wing,[17] crossing the try line in the second match at theSydney Cricket Ground.[41] Despite his contributions, Australia ultimately fell short, losing the series 2–1.[41] Since 2021, there had been growing speculation around Wright's potential to fill the fullback role for the national side.[42] This conjecture materialised in theopening round of the2022 Rugby Championship, where a series of injuries[43] prompted a reshuffle that saw Wright named at fullback against Argentina atEstadio Malvinas Argentinas,Mendoza.[44] However, by the third round, he had returned to the right wing, withReece Hodge assuming fullback duties. During theSpring Tour later that year, Wright transitioned to the left wing, though he would feature once more at fullback before the year concluded.[17]
In 2023, Wright made only two international appearances for the Wallabies in the lead-up to theRugby World Cup (RWC). Despite having received high praise from head coachEddie Jones earlier in the year, who remarked that: "Tom has the ability to be the world's best fullback",[45] Wright was ultimately omitted from the final Rugby World Cup squad announced in August. In his absence,Ben Donaldson andAndrew Kellaway were entrusted with fullback duties during the tournament. The Wallabies' campaign, however, ended in disappointment, as they failed to progress beyond the pool stage, a historic low for the team. Reflecting on Wright's exclusion, former Wallabies forwardStephen Hoiles expressed his disbelief on theBetween Two Posts podcast, stating: "There was so much going on during the World Cup last year, and there was a Barbarians squad. I remember seeing a photo of the Barbarians and just looking, going, ‘Hang on. Why is Tom Wright not in the Wallabies, like six weeks after it was named? He's only ever been good for every team he's played in.'"[46] Wright would later score a try forAustralia A in their2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up match againstPortugal. Australia A won 30–17 inMassy,France.[47]
Wright was recalled to the national squad in June 2024 ahead of Australia's two-Test series againstWales during theirtour of Australia.[48] He made an immediate impact, scoring a try in the opening Test, a 25–16 victory for the Wallabies.[49] Reinstated as the first-choice fullback, Wright went on to feature in all but one fixture during Australia's 2024 international campaign.[17] His most commanding performance came during Australia'sGrand Slam tour, where he recorded his first international hat-trick in a dominant victory overWales.[50][51]
Wright featured in all three of Australia's Tests against theBritish & Irish Lions on their2025 tour of Australia,[17] delivering consistently composed performances across the series. His tactical kicking and defensive coverage drew praise fromThe Guardian, which lauded his composure under pressure and positional intelligence.[52] Notably,The Guardian also awarded Wright the "Try of the Series" for his decisive score in thesecond Test,[53] a clinical finish started byJoseph Sua'ali'i that extended Australia's lead to 23–5. Australia lost the series 1–2.[54] Wright scored his twelfth international try againstSouth Africa in theopening round of the2025 Rugby Championship. Australia won 22–38, having been 22–0 down after 20 minutes.[55] In Australia's second test against South Africa, Wright suffered an ACL injury, and was ruled out for the rest of the year.[56]
| No. | Opponent | Location | Competition | Date | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New Zealand | Lang Park,Brisbane | 2020 Tri Nations Series | 7 November 2020 | 24–22 | [36] |
| 2 |  Japan | Showa Denko Dome Oita,Ōita | 2021 Autumn Internationals | 23 October 2021 | 23–32 | [57] |
| 3 |  England | Sydney Cricket Ground,Sydney | 2022 England tour of Australia | 16 July 2022 | 17–21 | [58] |
| 4 |  Italy | Stadio Artemio Franchi,Florence | 2022 Autumn Internationals | 12 November 2022 | 28–27 | [59] |
| 5 |  Wales | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 2024 Wales tour of Australia | 6 July 2024 | 25–16 | [60] |
| 6 | New Zealand | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 2024 Rugby Championship | 21 September 2024 | 28–31 | [61] |
| 7 | England | Twickenham Stadium,London | 2024 Autumn Internationals | 9 November 2024 | 37–42 | [62] |
| 8 | Wales | Millennium Stadium,Cardiff | 17 November 2024 | 20–52 | [63] | |
| 9 | ||||||
| 10 | ||||||
| 11 |  British & Irish Lions | Melbourne Cricket Ground,Melbourne | 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia | 26 July 2025 | 26–29 | [64] |
| 12 |  South Africa | Ellis Park Stadium,Johannesburg | 2025 Rugby Championship | 16 August 2025 | 22–38 | [65] |
A genuine, high-quality finisher, Wright juggled both league and union as a boy. Raised in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Wright split his weekend between league for the Clovelly Crocodiles and rugby for the Clovelly Eagles. In 2009, Wright headed off to board at St Joseph's College in Hunters Hill. Wright said that his time at Joeys "was the making of him, that he learned self-reliance, independence and time management." He also played rugby, as a fly-half, and made the College's feted 1st XV.
Fellow Brumby Tom Wright, whose shift to fullback to cover the departure of Tom Banks opened up a wing for Toole, said he was enjoying learning to play with his new teammate.
