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It's the highest honour in Australian rugby, running out in the gold jersey with the 'c' next to your name, leading your side on the biggest stage in rugby and hopefully lifting the winner's trophy at the end of the match. But over the last two seasons, it has become a poisoned chalice for the Wallabies. Over the course of 16 months Australia have cycled through eight different captains (James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa have taken on the role twice since the start of 2023), six in the Eddie Jones era alone, before Harry Wilson became the first player since Michael Hooper's extended run to lead the the Wallabies for five consecutive Tests. If you believe in curses or demons, this is one that almost needed to be exorcised. It's not that Jones or Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt have been fickle with their choices, changing leaders on a whim, instead they and their captaincy selections have been struck by the simple inability to stay on the pitch. And it's exactly why Schmidt must avoid any urge to turn to star prop Angus Bell as his captain against Wales on Sunday morning (AEDT). Since Hooper was sidelined through a calf injury in early 2023 -- an injury that cost him the chance to reach a third Rugby World Cup -- the Wallabies' captaincy has passed from Slipper, Alaalatoa, Tate McDermott, Will Skelton, Dave Porecki, Liam Wright, back to Slipper, Alaalatoa and then onto Wilson. Alaalatoa's Rugby World Cup dreams were also dashed when he collapsed with an Achilles tear against the All Blacks as captain; Skelton fared no better, injured after just two Tests in the role; Porecki was soon hit with an Achilles injury of his own following the World Cup; while unluckiest of all was Wright, who after missing Wallabies selection for three years straight, was given the honour of leading Australia in his first Test since 2019 earlier this year. A shoulder injury has sidelined him since.  Slipper was captain for just one Test before a tendon issue in his foot saw the job shift back to Alaalatoa, who was promptly benched after three Tests in charge, with Wilson now ruled out of the side's second Autumn Nations series Test with a head knock. So who's the next man up? Australia's back-rowers have proven themselves invaluable leaders over the years from one of the best ever in Hooper, current Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh too was a strong choice, while Wright and Wilson stood tall despite the weight of the responsibility. It wouldn't be a stretch for Schmidt to add Rob Valetini or Fraser McReight to the captaincy list. Wallabies halfbacks, too, have strong captaincy pedigree; George Gregan and Nick Farr-Jones are just two that come to mind with Jake Gordon and McDermott clear leaders and easy choices for Sunday's match. Or Schmidt could look to his front-row once more, to one of the world's in-form props, and name Bell the Wallabies captain to face Wales. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the 24-year-old has been one of the Wallabies' consistently best players since he made his debut in the gold jersey four years ago. Simply look at the weekend's stats and you'll see how important he is to Australia; 15 post-contact metres, 14 carries, and nine defenders beaten -- the most by any Tier 1 Test prop since 2010. His footwork is some of the best on the world stage for a forward, and almost unheard of for a prop, while his ability to keep his feet and stay in the fight to make metres is reminiscent of some of the best back-rowers in the game. England's Tom Curry certainly felt Bell's power at Twickenham, the Australian sent him hurtling backwards. Bell's defence is just as good and just as hard hitting. He made 12 tackles against England and missed none, some of them absolute monsters in a shift that totaled 71 minutes. Most important is the fact that his scrummaging has been tested time and time again by some of the world's best and has seldom buckled under the pressure. The man's a human highlight reel and scarily, just four years into his international rugby career, he'll only get better. And Bell's talent is only added by his ability to lead a squad. Like Hooper, Bell is a player that will carry his team on his back and lead through his actions. He's previously made his captaincy aspirations known stating "I've always aspired to be a leader" just last year, while last week he was given the honour of handing teammate and good friend Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii his game jersey. Bell has plenty of support for his captaincy cause as well with Wallabies Test legend Tim Horan one of his many cheerleaders: "He is a future Wallabies captain, there is no doubt about that. We've seen that in the last couple of years," Horan said. A never-say-die attitude with the rugby smarts and a cool head, the loosehead prop should naturally be Schmidt's next choice. But for the sake of the Wallabies and Bell, Schmidt must resist the temptation. Having been struck down three times by a reoccurring toe injury and sidelined for much of the 2023 and 2024 Super Rugby Pacific seasons as a result, so too several Test matches over the last three years, Bell should be left to concentrate on his own game alone as the Wallabies hunt an unlikely grand slam. Call me superstitious if you like, but the 34-Test prop needs to be protected, even if it is from the honour of captaining his country.
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