Matt Philip

Ahead of the 2026 season, Matt Philip was named as captain for his boyhood club, taking over the captaincy from his former Sydney University teammate Jake Gordon.

Born in Mona Vale, Philip attended Bilgola Plateau Public School in his youth before moving onto St Augustine’s College in Northern Beaches, with alumni including former Waratah Langi Gleeson.

Philip was selected for Australian Schoolboys in 2012, before earning selection for Australia under-20s in both 2013 and 2014.

The Mona Vale-born lock continued his rugby development with Sydney University in the Shute Shield, playing alongside Gordon and Folau Faingaa. His consistent performances were recognised with a call-up to the Northern Stars ahead of the inaugural National Rugby Championship in 2014.

From there he was drafted to the Western Force, making his Super Rugby debut against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in 2016, quickly becoming a regular in their match day squads.

In 2017, he was called into the Wallabies squad for the first time, named to make his international debut in the side’s first Test of the Spring Tour against Japan in Yokohama.

Since his Wallaby debut, he moved from the Force to the Melbourne Rebels, before featuring for Pau in France and Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan, the city of his Test debut, before signing for the Waratahs following the end of last season’s Super Rugby Pacific.

Philip last appeared for the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, playing in two matches after a remarkable comeback from an ACL injury the previous year.

Standing at 199cm and weighing in at 115kg, Philip’s physical prowess is a huge asset in the engine room to any team. Having been with the Waratahs Academy in his youth, he re-signed for the club ahead of the fixture against the British & Irish Lions in 2025.