Wallabies scrum coach John Ulugia is backing the growth of Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell overseas to make a difference against Ireland on Saturday, drawing on their European success.
The pair have returned home after stints with Racing 92 and Ulster in European competitions, with Tupou still signed with the French club post 2026.
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This, along with the return of the experienced James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa, leaves the Wallabies in a good place to match Ireland up front, according to Ulugia.
“I think that there's a big advantage to playing over in Europe. You've seen a lot of development through some of the guys, especially in the tight five, go over and really flourish in their careers in the set-piece areas,” he said to reporters.
“I'm looking to lean on 'Nela's' experience over the last 10 years of his Super [career] but also his last year with Racing, same as ‘Belly’.
“The Irish are well known for their scrummaging. Obviously there's a lot of combinations there in their front row, the bulk of them being at Leinster. There are obviously challenges there and what we've had already is a good week together and then we're just going to tighten the screws there for this weekend.”
Tupou was largely used as a finisher in Racing’s march to the semi-finals, starting just once in 2026.
It’s a stark contrast to how coach Joe Schmidt has utilised the 30-year-old, with Ulugia seeing the advantages of both.
“The Top 14 is quite unique because usually what they will have is their best scrummaging players on the bench, obviously to finish games with dominant pictures and then that's the difference between winning and losing in Top 14,” the former Clermont hooker explained.
“There's different areas of the game that you have to look at as well. Obviously, scrummaging for his position is a big one, but then also what he offers around the field, ball in hand, and we saw last year against the English team, where he can really put some good shots on in defence too.
“We've got Allan [Alaalatoa] as well as ‘Nela’ in that position and it's just about finding the balance around what teams we're playing and who fits best to start or come off the bench.”
Ulugia first linked up with the Wallabies on last year’s Spring Tour after Mike Cron retired from the full-time team role, with the ex-Brumbies hooker keen to make his own impact after re-signing until 2028.
“I think with the pack that we've got to spread the ownership around the leadership of players that we've got, the leaders that we've got in the Australian team but also the guys that are coming through like [Lachlan] Shaw in his first time in the group and how he's seen the group from outside and how he wants to be seen as a group in general,” he added.
“It's going to be driven around what the players decide there and how they want to be known but in terms of my role it's just about facilitating and helping them come through from Super Rugby into international.”
