James Slipper will complete a heartwarming career transformation when he replaces Michael Hooper as Wallabies captain for Sunday’s (4.30am AEDT) season-ending Test against Wales in Cardiff.
The popular prop’s career appeared to be in tatters in 2018 when he was banned from rugby after twice testing positive for cocaine.
It later emerged that Slipper had been battling depression while his mother had received a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis.
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But Slipper made the most of a Super Rugby move from the Reds to the Brumbies and became a mainstay under new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
The 113 cap prop has led Australia once before, against the United States in 2015.
Hooper is out with a foot sprain sustained in Sunday’s 32-15 loss to England.
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“It’s obviously devastating losing our skipper Hoops but the boys are very excited, there was a big roar when we heard Slips would be captain,” Wallabies five-eighth James O’Connor told reporters.
“He’s one of our leaders in the leadership group. He’s been there and done that and everyone can rely on him. He’s got a very steady presence.
“It’s credit to the hard work that he’s put in and how much he leaves it all out there.
“He’s been on that journey and someone you get around. He’s very authentic, he’s very himself and a great bloke. We’re excited for him to lead us out. He’s a man of action, what he says, he’ll do. He puts his body on the line and that’s why we get around him.
“The job is normal for him. He’s using the guys around him that would normally speak on detail and he comes in with a bit of emotion.”
Slipper, who filled in at tighthead against England, is likely to start on his preferred loosehead side against Wales.
The Wallabies are hopeful that tightheads Taniela Tupou and Allan Alaalatoa will both be available after missing the England Test with concussions.
Wales have their own issues with concussion with prop WillGriff John and lock Will Rowlands unlikely to be available after taking head knocks in the win over Fiji last weekend.
Prop Tomas Francis (concussion), outside back Josh Adams (calf) and backrower Aaron Wainwright (shoulder) are also under selection clouds.
Talismanic captain Alun Wyn Jones is already out for the season with a shoulder injury.
“I think it’s been brilliant for us in terms of finding out about people who can add to our depth,” Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys said.
“I don’t see it as being frustrating at all. Those injuries that we’ve had have forced players to play who probably wouldn’t have played much.
“If Alun Wyn had stayed fit all the way through, then Will Rowlands doesn’t get as much time as he has and Will has been outstanding for us.
“So rather than look at the negatives of ‘we’re missing all these people,’ and has it maybe stopped us winning against, particularly, South Africa, I think the bigger picture is telling us we’ve got a team that can fight toe to toe with all those injuries and that’s a huge positive for us.
“The tanks right now are low, but I know that come the weekend we are going to be right and we are going to be ready for the fight.”