Australian rugby player Harry Potter has become quite accustomed to the playful puns that accompany his name. However, he can expect a fresh wave of quips after receiving his first selection to represent his country on Friday—an occasion that fittingly coincides with his debut in the city where the iconic Harry Potter novels were penned.
The 26-year-old winger, who was born in England before relocating to Australia during his childhood, has been called up to play against Scotland in a test match scheduled at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh this Sunday.
Potter was previously selected by the Wallabies last month to join their end-of-year European tour. During this announcement, he shared that a teammate had playfully dubbed him “Wizard” as a nod to the beloved character from J.K. Rowling’s literary series. Interestingly, Rowling has stated that she wrote a significant portion of her Harry Potter series while living in Edinburgh.
When addressing the media, Potter challenged them to come up with original puns related to his famous namesake. “It’s a good challenge for journalists to see if they can think of a unique or original Harry Potter pun,” he remarked. “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.”
Born in London in December 1997—just six months post the release of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”—Potter moved to Melbourne at the age of ten. Reflecting on his transition, he noted, “I was (in Australia) for school. 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.”
As the Wallabies aim for a historic sweep of rugby nations in Britain and Ireland—something they haven’t achieved since their Grand Slam in 1984—Potter is set to contribute his skills. He will become the 18th player to make his debut for Australia this year and the 989th player in the esteemed history of the Wallabies.
Potter’s debut is part of a series of changes to the squad that saw Australia secure a decisive 52-20 win over Wales last weekend. Among the adjustments, captain Harry Wilson is returning to the No. 8 position, and Joseph Sua’ali’i, who made the switch from rugby league, will start at outside center for the second time.
Sua’ali’i kicked off the Wallabies’ European tour with a thrilling 42-37 victory over England, and the team’s journey will conclude in Dublin with a match against Ireland, where they hope to achieve their first Grand Slam since 1984. Notably, Samu Kerevi is unavailable due to suspension following a red card in the match against Wales.
On the Scottish side, No. 8 Matt Fagerson is set to mark his 50th cap for his country, adding an extra layer of significance to the match.
**Scotland Team:** 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 Team:** 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.