Ben Donaldson

Ben Donaldson is a versatile goal-kicking flyhalf / fullback who has impressed with his calm and composure under pressure. 

Donaldson played his first rugby at flyhalf for the Clovelly Eagles U11s. He undertook his secondary schooling at Waverley College, played two seasons in the 1st XV (2016-17), won premierships in each year and from there earned selection for Australian Schools (2017). 

Post-graduation, Donaldson entered the Waratahs’ Academy and his first year out played in the National Rugby Championship for the Sydney Rays. In 2020, Donaldson was elevated into the full Waratahs squad following the departure of Kurtley Beale and made his provincial debut when he replaced lifelong friend Will Harrison against the Force at the SCG. Since that debut Donaldson has been involved in a 'positive' competition with best mates Harrison and Tane Edmed as they vie for the starting flyhalf position. 

In 2022, Donaldson emerged from that battle to be one of eight uncapped players included in a 40-man squad as Australia prepared for the home Test series against England. He went on to be picked for the Pacific Nations series and made his Australia ‘A’ debut against Fiji in Lautoka. Included in the end-of-season Spring Tour, Donaldson won a baptism-of-fire first Test cap against Italy in Florence. Thrown into the action with less than five minutes on the clock Donaldson was tasked with a tough, angled, after-the-siren conversion attempt to steal a win from the Azzurri. It was not to be. However, two weeks later and in his first international start at number 10, Donaldson scored 10 points to guide the Wallabies to an improbable victory over Wales.

Highlights

2017 Represented Australian Schools vs Fijian Schools (W 39-17) and New Zealand Schools (L 11-34)

2019 Represented Australia U20s at the Oceania Championships and at the twelfth IRB U20s World Championship in Argentina.

2022 Represented Australia ‘A’ vs Fiji, Tonga and Japan (1 & 3). Donaldson won his first Test cap off the bench when he replaced Noah Lolesio in the 76th minute against Italy. He earned his first run-on XV cap in the 39-34 defeat of Wales in Cardiff.