# List of Australia national rugby union team captains

Australia has played Test rugby since 1899. Test captains are listed chronologically from the first time they captained Australia in a Test match. Matches are exclusively those that have been granted Test status by the Australian Rugby Union regardless of whether the opposing team's governing body awarded the match Test status or not.

## Captains

Players to have captained the Australian rugby union team in a Test match :
| Number | Name | First Test as captain | Last Test as captain | Total Tests as captain | Total Tests as player | Refs |
| 1 | Frank Row | 1899 | 1899 | 3 | 3 | [1] [2] |
| 2 | Bob McCowan | 1899 | 1899 | 1 | 3 | [3] [4] |
| 3 | Stan Wickham | 1903 | 1905 | 4 | 5 | [5] [6] |
| 4 | Frank Nicholson | 1904 | 1904 | 1 | 2 | [7] [8] |
| 5 | Peter Burge | 1907 | 1907 | 2 | 3 | [9] [10] |
| 6 | Allen Oxlade | 1907 | 1907 | 1 | 4 | [11] [12] |
| 7 | Herbert Moran | 1908 | 1908 | 1 | 1 | [13] [14] |
| 8 | Chris McKivat | 1909 | 1909 | 1 | 4 | [15] [16] |
| 9 | Sydney Middleton | 1910 | 1910 | 3 | 4 | [17] [18] |
| 10 | Ward Prentice | 1912 | 1912 | 1 | 6 | [19] [20] |
| 11 | Ted Fahey | 1913 | 1913 | 2 | 4 | [21] [22] |
| 12 | Larry Dwyer | 1913 | 1913 | 1 | 8 | [23] [24] |
| 13 | Fred Wood | 1914 | 1914 | 2 | 12 | [25] [26] |
| 14 | Jimmy Flynn | 1914 | 1914 | 1 | 2 | [27] [28] |
| 15 | William Thornton | 1920 | 1920 | 3 | 8 | [29] [30] |
| 16 | Alfred Walker | 1922 | 1924 | 11 | 16 | [31] [32] |
| 17 | Darby Loudon | 1922 | 1922 | 1 | 4 | [33] [34] |
| 18 | Walter Friend | 1923 | 1923 | 3 | 10 | [35] [36] |
| 19 | Billy Sheehan | 1923 | 1923 | 3 | 18 | [37] [38] |
| 20 | Ted Thorn | 1924 | 1926 | 6 | 15 | [39] [40] |
| 21 | Charlie Fox | 1925 | 1925 | 1 | 17 | [41] [42] |
| 22 | Tom Lawton, Snr | 1925 | 1932 | 7 | 14 | [43] [44] |
| 23 | Johnnie Wallace | 1926 | 1928 | 6 | 8 | [45] [46] |
| 24 | Syd Malcolm | 1928 | 1933 | 6 | 18 | [47] [48] |
| 25 | Bob Loudon | 1928 | 1928 | 1 | 13 | [49] [50] |
| 26 | Jimmy Clark | 1931 | 1931 | 1 | 5 | [51] [52] |
| 27 | Dave Cowper | 1933 | 1933 | 3 | 9 | [53] [54] |
| 28 | Alex Ross | 1933 | 1934 | 3 | 20 | [55] [56] |
| 29 | Ron Walden | 1936 | 1936 | 3 | 4 | [57] [58] |
| 30 | Cyril Towers | 1937 | 1937 | 2 | 19 | [59] [60] |
| 31 | Vay Wilson | 1938 | 1938 | 3 | 5 | [61] [62] |
| 32 | Bill McLean | 1946 | 1947 | 4 | 5 | [63] [64] |
| 33 | Phil Hardcastle | 1947 | 1947 | 1 | 5 | [65] [66] |
| 34 | Trevor Allan | 1947 | 1949 | 10 | 14 | [67] [68] |
| 35 | Nev Cottrell | 1950 | 1950 | 2 | 14 | [69] [70] |
| 36 | Keith Winning | 1951 | 1951 | 1 | 1 | [71] [72] |
| 37 | Colin Windon | 1951 | 1951 | 2 | 20 | [73] [74] |
| 38 | John Solomon | 1952 | 1955 | 8 | 14 | [75] [76] |
| 39 | Nicholas Shehadie | 1953 | 1954 | 3 | 30 | [77] [78] |
| 40 | Alan Cameron | 1955 | 1956 | 4 | 20 | [79] [80] |
| 41 | Dick Tooth | 1957 | 1957 | 2 | 10 | [81] [82] |
| 42 | Bob Davidson | 1957 | 1958 | 6 | 13 | [83] [84] |
| 43 | Des Connor | 1958 | 1958 | 2 | 12 | [85] [86] |
| 44 | Chilla Wilson | 1958 | 1958 | 3 | 4 | [87] [88] |
| 45 | Peter Fenwicke | 1959 | 1959 | 2 | 6 | [89] [90] |
| 46 | Ken Catchpole | 1961 | 1968 | 13 | 27 | [91] [92] |
| 47 | Peter Johnson | 1962 | 1968 | 5 | 42 | [93] [94] |
| 48 | Jim Lenehan | 1962 | 1962 | 1 | 24 | [95] [96] |
| 49 | John Thornett | 1962 | 1967 | 16 | 37 | [97] [98] |
| 50 | Greg Davis | 1969 | 1972 | 16 | 39 | [99] [100] |
| 51 | Peter Sullivan | 1972 | 1973 | 4 | 13 | [101] [102] |
| 52 | John Hipwell | 1973 | 1975 | 9 | 36 | [103] [104] |
| 53 | Geoff Shaw | 1975 | 1976 | 9 | 27 | [105] [106] |
| 54 | Tony Shaw | 1978 | 1981 | 15 | 36 | [107] [108] |
| 55 | Mark Loane | 1979 | 1982 | 6 | 28 | [109] [110] |
| 56 | Paul McLean | 1980 | 1980 | 1 | 30 | [111] [112] |
| 57 | Mark Ella | 1982 | 1983 | 10 | 25 | [113] [114] |
| 58 | Andrew Slack | 1984 | 1987 | 19 | 39 | [115] [116] |
| 59 | Steve Williams | 1985 | 1985 | 5 | 28 | [117] [118] |
| 60 | Simon Poidevin | 1986 | 1987 | 4 | 59 | [119] [120] |
| 61 | David Codey | 1987 | 1987 | 1 | 13 | [121] [122] |
| 62 | Michael Lynagh | 1987 | 1995 | 15 | 72 | [123] [124] |
| 63 | Nick Farr-Jones | 1988 | 1992 | 36 | 63 | [125] [126] |
| 64 | Phil Kearns | 1992 | 1995 | 10 | 67 | [127] [128] |
| 65 | Rod McCall | 1995 | 1995 | 1 | 71 | [129] [130] |
| 66 | John Eales | 1996 | 2001 | 55 | 86 | [131] [132] |
| 67 | Tim Horan | 1996 | 1996 | 1 | 80 | [133] [134] |
| 68 | David Wilson | 1997 | 1999 | 9 | 79 | [135] [136] |
| 69 | Jason Little | 1999 | 1999 | 1 | 75 | [137] [138] |
| 70 | George Gregan | 2001 | 2007 | 59 | 139 | [139] [140] |
| 71 | Chris Whitaker | 2003 | 2003 | 1 | 31 | [141] [142] |
| 72 | Nathan Sharpe | 2004 | 2012 | 10 | 116 | [143] [144] |
| 73 | Phil Waugh | 2006 | 2007 | 3 | 79 | |
| 74 | Stirling Mortlock | 2006 | 2009 | 29 | 80 | |
| 75 | George Smith | 2007 | 2009 | 7 | 111 | |
| 76 | Rocky Elsom | 2009 | 2011 | 24 | 75 | |
| 77 | James Horwill | 2011 | 2013 | 16 | 62 | |
| 78 | Will Genia | 2011 | 2013 | 4 | 110 | |
| 79 | David Pocock | 2012 | 2019 | 9 | 83 | |
| 80 | Ben Mowen | 2013 | 2013 | 6 | 15 | |
| 81 | Stephen Moore | 2014 | 2017 | 26 | 122 | |
| 82 | Michael Hooper | 2014 | 2023 | 69 | 125 | |
| 83 | James Slipper | 2015 | 2024 | 15* | 143* | |
| 84 | Dean Mumm | 2015 | 2015 | 1 | 57 | |
| 85 | Allan Alaalatoa | 2022 | 2024 | 7* | 80* | |
| 86 | Tate McDermott | 2023 | 2023 | 1* | 41* | |
| 87 | Will Skelton | 2023 | 2023 | 2* | 35* | |
| 88 | Dave Porecki | 2023 | 2023 | 3 | 20 | |
| 89 | Liam Wright | 2024 | 2024 | 1 | 6 | |
| 90 | Harry Wilson | 2024 | incumbent | 8* | 22* | |
| Source: ESPN Scrum Updated after the 2024 end-of-year rugby union internationals on 1 December 2024.* Indicates totals for players that are current members of the Wallaby squad. Players in green remain active and eligible for Wallaby selection. |

### Notes

* ↑ At the end of 2022, Michael Hooper had captained Australia in 68 test matches. He led the team in 64 tests prior to 8 November 2021. He captained the team for a further 4 tests against England – an away match at Twickenham on 13 November 2021, and a home series in June 2022. Hooper has played 124 test matches.
* ↑ At the end of 2022, James Slipper had captained Australia in 12 test matches. His first test as captain was against the United States in 2015. He then led the team against Wales on 20 November 2021, followed by the six-test Rugby Championship in 2022, and four tests on the end-of-year tour. Slipper has played 127 test matches.
* ↑ Allan Alaalatoa became the 85th Wallabies captain on 12 November 2022. He has played 64 test matches.