Australia's Harry Potter during a team run at The Lensbury Resort, Teddington, Britain, Friday Nov. 8, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
Australian rugby player Harry Potter has already heard all the puns. He better brace himself for a few more after being picked Friday to play for his country for the first time — fittingly in the city where the famous books about his fantasy namesake were written.
Potter, a 26-year-old winger who was born in England before moving to Australia as a child, was selected to play against Scotland in a test match taking place in Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh on Sunday.
When he was picked by the Wallabies last month for their end-of-year European tour, the 26-year-old Potter said he had been given the nickname “Wizard” by a teammate — in reference to the Harry Potter character in J.K. Rowling’s fantasy novels. Rowling has said she wrote most of the Harry Potter books in Edinburgh.
Potter then issued a test for the rugby media.
“It’s a good challenge for journalists to see if they can think of a unique or original Harry Potter pun,” Potter said at the time.
“It’s been 26 years of it, so it’s pretty funny, I reckon. And yeah, tip my hat if you think of something original.”
Potter was born in London in December 1997 — six months after “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” the first of Rowling’s series of world-famous novels, was released. He moved to Melbourne at the age of 10.
“I was (in Australia) for school,” he said last month. “I watched the Wallabies play from Year 7 right up until now and I heartily feel like I was here for a more influential part of my life. I’m speaking with a more Aussie than English accent, which doesn’t make you feel too English to be honest.
“It’s a pleasure to be with the Wallabies and certainly I feel very Australian.”
Potter will bring his wing wizardry to an Australia team seeking a sweep of the rugby nations in Britain and Ireland for the first time since that end-of-year “Grand Slam” was achieved by the Wallabies in 1984.
It’s team in transition, too.
Potter will become the 18th player to make his debut for Australia in 2024 — and the 989th player to feature for the Wallabies in their proud history — as coach Joe Schmidt continues to bring in new faces in search of greater squad depth.
Potter is one of six changes to the team that started the 52-20 win over Wales last weekend, including captain Harry Wilson returning at No. 8 and Joseph Sua’ali’i — who switched from rugby league last month — is back at outside center for his second start for Australia.
Sua’ali’i also started the 42-37 victory over England that kicked off the Wallabies’ end-of-year European tour. It ends in Dublin with a test against Ireland, when Australia will be hoping to clinch a first Grand Slam since 1984.
Samu Kerevi is missing because of suspension after being sent off against Wales.
Scotland No. 8 Matt Fagerson will play his 50th match for his country.
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Scotland: Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (captain), Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White; Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jamie Ritchie, Scott Cummings, Grant Gilchrist, Zander Fagerson, Ewan Ashman, Pierre Schoeman. Reserves: Dylan Richardson, Rory Sutherland, Will Hurd, Alex Craig, Josh Bayliss, George Horne, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe.
Australia: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (captain), Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini, Will Skelton, Jeremy Williams, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell. Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Isaac Kailea, Zane Nonggorr, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
By STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer
