All Black Hodgman, Beale named in Schmidt's first Wallabies squad

SYDNEY :Alex Hodgman is set to become the first player in the professional era to represent both New Zealand and Australia after being named in the Wallabies squad for July tests against Wales and Georgia on Friday.

The loosehead prop played four tests for the All Blacks in 2020 and qualifies for the Wallabies through his Fijian-Australian father after moving to the Queensland Reds this year.

The 30-year-old was one of 21 forwards included in Joe Schmidt's first Wallabies squad since the New Zealander took over as coach in the wake of the departure of Eddie Jones.

Hodgman would become the fourth player to play tests for the All Blacks and the Wallabies after Ted Jessep in the 1930s, Des Connor in the 1950s and Owen Stephens the 1960s and early 1970s.

"I think he'd be pretty excited to be in the squad with a chance of (making) a little bit of history," Schmidt told reporters in Sydney.

"But he knows me reasonably well and he'll be understanding that it's going to be a pretty pragmatic decision and there's things to be earned."

Schmidt has been charged with turning around the Wallabies in time for next year's British and Irish Lions tour after they won only two of nine tests and crashed out of the pool stage of the World Cup for the first time under Jones last year.

Thirteen uncapped players were included in the bumper 38-man squad, which will gather for a four-day camp in Brisbane on Sunday.

They included flyhalf Tom Lynagh, son of Wallabies great Michael, and hooker Josh Nasser, whose flanker father Brendan played eight tests for Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

At the other end of the spectrum, utility back Kurtley Beale has been given a chance to add to his 95 test caps after reviving his career at the