Officially formed in 2001 as part of the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, Australia A played host to the British & Irish Lions in a mid-week game and offered fringe Wallabies players a chance to impress the national selectors ahead of the test series.

In 2006, Australia was originally invited to take part in the inaugural IRB Pacific Nations Cup but decided against sending a team, stating a need to focus on domestic competition.

At the end of the 2008, however, the Australian Rugby Union decided to scrap the Australia A team, citing financial constraints.

[5] This side was nominated as the second national team and was, as such, essentially Australia A by another name for the England matches.

[6] Australia XV also returned in 2016, when they played against the French Barbarians during the Wallabies Spring tour.

[7] However, any possible plans where paused due the COVID-19 pandemic, and in May 2022 having not formally participated in any event since 2008, the Australia A team was reignited by Rugby Australia to compete in the Pacific Nations Cup for July 2022 against Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, to take place in Fiji.

[11] Updated: 21st November 2024 On 22 October, a 30-player squad was named for Australia XV's 2024 Northern hemisphere tour with matches against English Premiership side Bristol Bears, and England A.