Australia are playing all four home nations this Autumn Nations Series, beginning against England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on 9 November. Clashes against Wales and Scotland follow, before the Wallabies wrap up their tour against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 30 November - with every game live on TNT Sports.
Having spent time with Melbourne Rebels and Sydney University, the 26-year-old Potter launched his career when he moved to England and signed for Leicester Tigers. It was an inspired move for the Wimbledon-born winger, who emigrated to Australia with his family when he was 10.
Under the guidance of now-England coach Steve Borthwick, Tigers won their first Premiership title for the first time in nine years, with Potter contributing seven tries in 22 appearances. Such form drew the attention of Australian teams, and in 2023 he signed with Western Force in Super Rugby, making his debut in Round 1 of the 2024 Super Rugby season.
“It was a great time in the UK when I was there and I learned a lot and played lots of rugby,” Potter tells us.
“I went over to Leicester having not played a game of professional rugby and left with a lot, mainly a lot more experience than I arrived there with. For me, it was a good thing for my career albeit it meant the long way round [to make the Australia squad], to come back to Australia, but it was every bit worth it.
“I’m in touch with a few of the lads in England camp now, the ones that are at Leicester. I’ll see them over there in a few weeks.”
Of course, it means that if Potter makes debut on the first week of the campaign, he will be facing the man who helped make him a champion of England. With the match fast approaching he is yet to hear about securing tickets for any of his relatives in England, but he expects his phone to start pinging as the day draws closer.
Both sides are desperate for victory. England have suffered three consecutive losses, to France and then twice against New Zealand, while Australia are also on a run of three defeats.
“He turned a club around that was struggling for a couple of years and brought them right back to the top of the league,” Potter said. “He’s a great coach and did a lot for Leicester and no doubt he's going to have a similar path for England. They look to be a very strong team now.”
New kids on the block
Potter is one of three uncapped players in Joe Schmidt’s squad, along with high-profile rugby league convert Joseph Suaalii, and New South Wales Waratahs fly-half Tane Edmed.
He is also among a handful of players and staff with experience of playing in Europe. Schmidt previously coached Ireland, Leinster and in France. His assistant Geoff Parling played for the British and Irish Lions, England, and Leicester, before he moved to Australia to sign with the Rebels and then moved into coaching.
Potter’s Western Force teammate Nic White played for Exeter Chiefs, while Carlo Tizzano spent six months with Ealing Trailfinders before he returned home.
“Everybody’s experience in the squad is useful,” Potter said. “We've got a lot of people who have played on a lot of northern tours, so they've got lots of experience. Then in the coaching staff, there's plenty of plenty of experience of rugby in the northern hemisphere.
“We’re not short of experience, of maybe the slight differences in rugby in the northern hemisphere.”
First year on the job
Schmidt is still in his first year at Wallabies coach, having succeeded Eddie Jones at the start of 2024.
Jones left after Australia failed to progress from their Rugby World Cup group for the first time. In Schmidt’s first tournament they finished fourth in The Rugby Championship with one win and five losses.
Australia have a few big years of international rugby ahead of them. There is the Lions tour in 2025, and then they host the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
“He’s just clear on how he wants to play the game and very purposeful in all the training that we've been doing,” Potter said. “He’s got a world class coaching team. It's been great working with him, and nice to see a vision of what we're trying to do.
“Obviously, we have got the Lions here in a few months’ time, but we're only going to be focusing on this tour.”
For Potter, who grew up in Australian Rules Football’s heartland in Melbourne, it has been a circuitous route to a first Wallabies squad.
While returning to England means the chance to catch up with friends and family and enjoy some of the elements of UK life that he misses, Potter is focused on keeping his head down and earning a place in the Wallabies line-up.
Maintaining his focus
If Potter does make his debut, he expects more headlines linked to his more famous, fictional, namesake, something that since coming into camp is “probably up at more than one a day.” (For the record, The Philosopher's Stone was published in June 1997; Potter the rugby player was born in December 1997.)
Australia defeated Wales twice in July and squeezed home by a point the last time they met Scotland, in October 2022. They lost to Ireland in their most recent match, and since then Andy Farrell’s side have established themselves as the number one ranked team in the world.
“I don't think any of the teams that we're going to play over there are going to be easy,” Potter said. “They are incredibly difficult challenges. I think we've probably got equal weight on each one of them, but Ireland’s going to be a big challenge and a benchmark.
“I want to play for the Wallabies, and I want to add value to the team, and I think there's a lot of people in the team with that same attitude.
“It’s great to be in camp, and I am really keen to be around training and everything, but it means a lot more if you put the jersey on and actually get to run out for your country. I’m going to train hard, work hard, and keep improving and just add value to the team as much as I can, and then hopefully get that opportunity.”
England v Australia, Saturday 9th November, 15:00, Allianz Stadium. Live on TNT Sports.
