Former Waratahs flyer James Ramm has turned down approaches to play for England and is heading home in a bid to play for the Wallabies at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Ramm has agreed to a two-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Western Force, which will see him return at the end of the English Premiership season, where the 27-year-old is a star outside back for the Northampton Saints.
But Ramm could potentially be called up to the Wallabies squad as soon as July, after being the subject of a targeted repatriation that saw Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt meet the Sydney-raised player while touring England in November.
Standing at 193cm and weighing 100kg, and with an athletic background in gymnastics, Ramm shapes as one potential solution for the Wallabies’ woeful form under “contestable kicks”, which was badly exposed by rivals on the Spring Tour last year.
Ramm has been a dominant figure for the Saints since joining the club in 2022, following four injury-plagued seasons with the Waratahs.
James Ramm of Northampton Saints breaks with the ball during the PREM Rugby Cup match between Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers.Credit: Getty Images
The Randwick winger/fullback debuted for NSW in 2020 but played just 21 games for the Waratahs after dealing with a series of hamstring, groin, shoulder, rib and ankle injuries. Ramm’s best run was during the 2020 season when he was rewarded with selection in the wider Wallabies’ squad under coach Dave Rennie.
After more injuries derailed much of 2021, and nearly all of 2022, Ramm moved to England and joined Northampton.
He instantly shone for the Saints, and via performances that produced regular highlight clips, won the club’s players’ player award in his first year. The next season Ramm was a key man as Northampton won the Premiership and last year made the Champions Cup final.
Former Waratah James Ramm steps Reds hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa in Sydney in August 2020. Credit: Getty Images
Following on from other successful Australians at the club like Rob Horne, Andrew Kellaway, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Josh Kemeny, Ramm became a fan favourite at Northampton. He also captained the club and perhaps most crucially, stayed healthy, playing 68 matches over three-and-a-half seasons.
With eligibility to play Test rugby for England, Ramm was on the radar of coach Steve Borthwick, who made contact several times about the prospect of pulling on the red rose.
But Schmidt and Rugby Australia also stayed in touch with Ramm, as part of their strategy to stay connected with Australians at overseas clubs, and where possible, bring them home. Pete Samu, Mat Philip, Folau Faingaa and Nick Champion de Crespigny have also returned in the last two years.
Having had a taste of life inside the Wallabies’ camp in 2020, Ramm’s dream of playing for his country never faded and he agreed to join the Force, turning down significantly more money to extend his contract at Northampton, according to informed sources. Ramm also spoke with the Brumbies.
Speaking recently, Schmidt bracketed Ramm with other star Wallabies overseas, indicating he holds him in high esteem.
“I stay in touch with Taniela [Tupou], big Will Skelton, Jordan Petaia, Lenny Ikitau, Tom Hooper .. even meeting up with James Ramm when we were there, he’s coming back to the Force in the future,” Schmidt said. “Those overseas guys are still very much part of the conversation.”
While there may be raised eyebrows at the recruitment of another outside back, Ramm’s size – and athleticism – could form part of a solution for a major problem exposed in the Wallabies last year: catching contestable kicks.
Contestable kicking into the backfield is now so common it is almost another set-piece, and Australia’s back three struggled against England, Ireland and Italy.
The Wallabies struggled so much to “retain” contestable kicks – the stat covering the ability to either catch a high ball, clean up a spilled catch or force an error from a rival – they were ranked second-last of the 10 Six Nations-Rugby Championships teams in 2025.
Tall wingers and fullbacks – with spring-heeled vertical leaps – in the mould of Ramm, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Mark Nawaqanitawase could yield much better results for the Wallabies in the aerial “50-50” contests.
Ramm was a former junior gymnast who trained for 30 hours a week and competed at national level. He was forced to decide between pursuing gymnastics as a teenager or playing rugby at schoolboy nursery St Joseph’s College.
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