Schmidt recalls Skelton, picks 2 uncapped players for Wallabies squad to face Fiji

SYDNEY (AP) — Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has picked uncapped Corey Toole and Nick Champion de Crespigny, recalled giant lock Will Skelton and given veteran prop James Slipper a chance to push for another Lions series in a 36-man Australia squad selected for next month’s test against Fiji.

The Australians will play Fiji on July 6 at Newcastle, north of Sydney, in preparation for a three-test series against the British and Irish Lions, which starts July 19 in Brisbane.

Schmidt unveiled the squad on Thursday, returning hooker David Porecki for his first Wallabies squad since the failed 2023 World Cup campaign, which included a group-stage loss to the Fijians.

Western Force backrower Champion de Crespigny and Brumbies winger Toole were the only uncapped players in the squad, earning selection through strong form in Super Rugby Pacific.

Skelton, who plays for La Rochelle in France, was the only overseas-based player picked in the preliminary squad.

“He’s well-known to the players (and) he's very much an established part of the team,” Schmidt said. “He was with us on the spring tour last year, so for him to slot back in is pretty easy.”

Schmidt said there was “a lot of healthy, robust discussion” in the selections but the immediate aim was on the test against Fiji.

Other overseas-based backs were part of the selection considerations, including James O'Connor, Samu Kerevi, Bernard Foley and Marika Koroibete, but Schmidt said this Wallabies squad reflected the time put into honing Australia-based playmakers.

Tom Lynagh, Noah Lolesio and Ben Donaldson were included as the options at flyhalf.

“We’ve invested in three guys in that No. 10 spot. We felt trying to balance things up, we’re going to keep investing in those guys,” Schmidt said. “All three of them have made improvements to their game (and) increased their own confidence to drive the game and communicate the game to other players. We didn’t want to interrupt that.”

With utility back O’Connor, who has performed well for the Crusaders this year, and Kurtley Beale missing selection, Slipper is the only active player from the 2013 Wallabies squad seemingly still in contention to face the British and Irish Lions again.

Australia squad:

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Bell, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, David Porecki, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Darcy Swain, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.

Backs: Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Australian rugby union player Max Jorgensen, center, goes through a skills drill with students at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, June 19, 2025, after the announcement of the squad that will that will be considered for a position in the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Australian rugby union players Jake Gordon, left, Max Jorgensen, second left, Allan Alaalatoa, and Will Skelton, right, interact with students at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, June 19, 2025, after the announcement of the squad that will that will be considered for a position in the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Australian rugby union players Allan Alaalatoa, right, Jake Gordon, left, Max Jorgensen, second left, and Will Skelton interact with students at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, June 19, 2025, after the announcement of the squad that will that will be considered for a position in the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Australia Rugby head coach Joe Schmidt, right, talks with player Jake Gordon as students go through skill drills at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, June 19, 2025, after the announcement of the squad that will that will be considered for a position in the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Australia Rugby's head coach Joe Schmidt comments at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, June 19, 2025, after the announcement of the rugby union squad that will that will be considered for a position in the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)