Liam Wright has been appointed Wallabies captain for their first Test against Wales in Sydney on Saturday night.

The Wallaroos are also taking the field at the Sydney Football Stadium this weekend, having named four debutants in their squad to play Fijiana.

Blindside flanker Wright becomes the Wallabies' seventh captain in a year after being named to lead Joe Schmidt's first Test squad since the New Zealander replaced Eddie Jones as coach.

Wright has captained the Queensland Reds since 2020 and will lead his country for the first time in the Wallabies' opening Test of the year.

He joins Reds teammate Fraser McReight and the Brumbies' reigning John Eales medallist Rob Valetini in the starting back row.

James Slipper will line up for his 135th Test, with hooker Matt Faessler earning his first Wallabies start alongside Taniela Tupou, who will run on at tighthead prop.

Western Force lock and captain Jeremy Williams and Queensland centre Josh Flook have been named to make their Wallabies debut, both in the starting XV.

Williams will partner the returning Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the second row.

Salakaia-Loto will play his first Test since 2021 after a stint in the English Premiership with Northampton.

Hunter Paisami will form a Reds midfield pairing with Flook, while NSW Waratahs captain Jake Gordon will combine with Brumbies playmaker Noah Lolesio in the halves.

Tom Wright returns to the side at fullback, with Andrew Kellaway and Filipo Daugunu on the wings.

Waratahs winger Dylan Pietsch could become the 15th First Nations player to represent the Wallabies should he come off the reserves bench on Saturday night.

It has been 14 years since a First Nations player debuted for the Wallabies.

Billy Pollard is set to make his second Test appearance as the reserve hooker, with Alaalatoa and potential debutant Isaac Kailea the finishing props.

Angus Blyth and the athletic Charlie Cale are two others in line for a potential Wallabies debut, covering lock and the back row respectively.

McDermott will provide spark as the reserve scrum-half, with his Reds teammate Tom Lynagh set to become the 12th son of a Wallabies player to pull on the gold jersey, following in the footsteps of his World Cup-winning father, Michael.

Fresh faces in Wallaroos line-up

Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp included four newcomers in her squad to play Fijiana ahead of the Wallabies vs Wales clash.

ACT Brumbies trio Biola Dawa, Allana Sikimeti and Lydia Kavoa join Natalie Wright as the fresh faces in line to make their Wallaroos debut.

The quartet were part of an extended Wallaroos squad that spent five days in Canberra preparing for Saturday's Test before shifting to Sydney earlier this week.

The Wallaroos starting pack includes captain Michaela Leonard along with Piper Duck, Eva Karpani, Kaitlan Leaney and Atasi Lafai, while Lori Cramer returns to fullback.

Karpani and Arabella McKenzie are set to celebrate milestones by bringing up their 25th caps as the Wallaroos eye their first Test win of the year.

Prolific winger Maya Stewart and front-rower Ashley Marsters were unavailable due to injury.

Wallabies: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Taniela Tupou, Jeremy Williams, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Liam Wright (captain), Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Jake Gordon, Noah Lolesio, Filipo Daugunu, Hunter Paisami, Josh Flook, Andrew Kellaway, Tom Wright 

Reserves: Billy Pollard, Isaac Kailea, Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch

Wallaroos: Brianna Hoy, Tania Naden, Eva Karpani, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard (captain), Atasi Lafai, Leilani Nathan, Piper Duck, Layne Morgan, Arabella McKenzie, Desiree Miller, Cecilia Smith, Georgina Friedrichs, Biola Dawa, Lori Cramer

Reserves: Tiarna Molloy, Allana Sikimeti, Bridie O'Gorman, Siokapesi Palu, Lydia Kavoa, Natalie Wright, Trilleen Pomare, Faitala Moleka

AAP