Hahn announces its comeback to rugby - and it's bringing Australia with it
Hahn has unveiled the inaugural Comeback Squad, celebrating Aussies rediscovering their love of rugby.
What you need to know
- After announcing its partnership with Rugby Australia and comeback as the Official Beer of the Wallabies, Hahn has unveiled the Comeback Squad.
- The starting 15 person squad features fans who haven’t watched a Test match in decades and other lapsed supporters.
- The Hahn Comeback Squad celebrates the real people and real fans of the sport and aims to help Hahn and Rugby Australia on their shared mission to elevate the fan experience to welcome new and previous supporters back to the fold.
After a decade away, Hahn has officially announced its return as the Official Beer of the Wallabies. Rather than celebrating its own comeback, Hahn is focused on a much bigger one. The comeback of Australian rugby fans.
Today, at The Establishment Hotel in Sydney, Hahn and Rugby Australia unveiled the inaugural Hahn Comeback Squad, a hand-picked team of Australians who are rediscovering their love of rugby after years on the sidelines.
Selected by former Wallaby and newly appointed Chief Comeback Officer Morgan Turinui; Editor of Betoota Advocate and Chairman of Selectors Clancy Overell; and welcomed back by fellow Wallabies legend and Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh – the starting 15-person squad includes fans who haven’t watched a Test match in decades, former junior players, lapsed supporters and Australians who recently found their way back to the game during last year’s British & Irish Lions Tour.
“Hahn knows a thing or two about comebacks,” said former Wallaby and Chief Comeback Officer, Morgan Turinui. “The brand is back in rugby after ten years away, and there are thousands of Australians who are starting to rediscover the game too. We thought it was time somebody officially welcomed them back.”
Phil Waugh, CEO, Rugby Australia adds, “We are delighted to have Hahn join the Wallabies family again. This Comeback Squad is about resilience and determination and recognising that the passion for the gold jersey remains deep in the Australian DNA.”
“After searching pubs for self-imposed exiled fans, we’ve recruited people who have proved they are ready to get back on the rugby bandwagon,” said Clancy Overell aka Chairman of Selectors and Editor of Betoota Advocate. “We’ve assembled a starting 15 who either haven’t watched a game since the 2003 final or have been waiting for us to reclaim the glory.”
“Being a Wallaby supporter is about so much more than the 80 minutes on the field. Rugby brings together fans from across the world, connected by the love of the game, and brought to life in the pubs, clubs and hotels where beers are shared and good-natured banter exchanged.”
Alex Honson, Brand Partnerships Leader at LION
Jimmy Smith, media personality and comedian, has been selected as Captain of the Comeback Squad who says, “As Captain of the Comeback Squad, I’ve seen more comebacks in my time than John Farnham. We’re not just watching the game; we’re watching people realise they actually missed the stress, the passion, and the inevitable referee blaming that comes with it. It’s glorious.”
This two-year partnership aims to supercharge the momentum behind the code following a huge uplift in support, initially sparked by the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour. Starting with the current Nations Championship, Hahn and Rugby Australia will collaborate to elevate the fan experience, create more occasions for supporters to connect with the game, and together they will welcome new and lapsed fans back into the rugby fold.
“Our inaugural comeback squad celebrates the real people and the real fans who are the backbone of the sport. We don’t shy away from the fact that the Wallabies and their fans have endured a tough stretch, but with an exciting team and a blockbuster lineup of fixtures over the next two years, we want to reawaken the love of rugby and the Wallabies.” said Alex Honson, Brand Partnerships Leader at LION.
2026 Wallabies Fixtures
- Wallabies vs Italy, 6:00pm AWST on Saturday July 18 at HBF Park, Perth
- Wallabies vs Japan, Saturday August 8 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashi-Osaka
- Wallabies vs Japan, 3:00pm AEST on Saturday August 15 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
- Wallabies vs Argentina 5:00am AEST on Sunday August 30 at Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy
- Wallabies vs Argentina, 5:00am AEST on Sunday September 6 at Estádio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
- Wallabies vs South Africa, 5:30pm AWST on Sunday September 27 at Optus Stadium, Perth
- Wallabies vs New Zealand, 3:10pm AEST on Saturday October 10 at Eden Park, Auckland
- Wallabies vs New Zealand, 3:45pm AEST on Saturday October 17 at Accor Stadium, Sydney
- Wallabies vs England, 2:10am AEDT on Monday November 9 at Allianz Stadium Twickenham, London
- Wallabies vs Scotland, 2:10am AEDT on Monday November 16 at Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
- Wallabies vs Wales, 7:10am AEDT on Sunday November 22, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
- Nations Championships Finals Weekend, Weekend starting November 27