After shuffling through six players last year, the Wallabies captaincy remains a vacant post, with coach Joe Schmidt wanting to learn more about his Test squad before anointing a permanent leader.

Schmidt unveiled his first Wallabies selection on Wednesday, with the first Test against Wales in Sydney on July 6.

There was no ‘c’ against any of the players in the 38-man squad, with Schmidt saying he needed time to get to know who would be best to steer the team.

During his calamitous 10-month reign, previous coach Eddie Jones shifted through six skippers.  

Three of those players – James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa and Tate McDermott – are in the current squad.

Australia’s incumbent captain, hooker Dave Porecki, took over the duties during the disastrous World Cup after an injury to first-choice Will Skelton. 

Former long-term leader Michael Hooper missed selection for the tournament, while Alaalatoa sat out the tournament injured. 

Porecki hasn’t played this year due to an achilles injury, and Hooper has switched to sevens.

Schmidt said he had sought input from his assistant coaches Geoff Parling, Mike Cron, and particularly Laurie Fisher who has been in and around Australian rugby for more than two decades.

“I don’t know some of these men very well,” Schmidt said of the playing group.

“I’ve been impressed with some of them, but it’s superficial knowledge of them. I haven’t seen them under pressure. I haven’t seen them at training.

“I haven’t seen the way they lead, by the actions they deliver and some of those things I just want to find out a bit about. 

“I’ve leaned on Laurie a bit, he knows them better. 

“Geoff knows a few of them, having been involved with the Wallabies before, and Mike Cron (is) a good thermometer.

“He gets a pretty good feel for the temperature around other players, perceptions of someone you might perceive to be a leader. 

“It’s one thing labelling a leader, it’s whether people are prepared to follow them.”

Clouding the issue is the lack of obvious starters, with most positions up for grabs although prop Alaalatoa and halfback McDermott – captains at their Super clubs – are favoured to be in the run-on side. 

Schmidt said he intended to name Australia’s 89th Test captain for early July’s Wales clash, who could continue in the role dependent on selection.

Australia also face Wales in Melbourne on July 13 before a one-off Test against Georgia back in Sydney on July 20.

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