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Joe Schmidt will be feeling the heat after the Wallabies’ performance in Italy. By their own admission, it was flat and fans are entitled to expect better.
Indeed, the coach immediately implored supporters to keep the faith, a tacit admission that performances of late are testing the hard-won admiration the Wallabies had enjoyed in the first part of the Test season. There is criticism coming Australia’s way this week, and some of it will be on the money.
But the home World Cup in two years’ time is still the big picture. In fact, Carter Gordon’s selection on this northern tour is a significant clue that World Cup planning is front of mind, even in the here and now.
Schmidt’s raison d’etre since the British and Irish Lions series has been to set up his successor and mate Les Kiss. Offer the Wallabies coach the choice between a few extra Test wins before he exits mid-2026 and building more depth that could benefit Kiss two years from now, and he’d take the latter, every day of the week.
We all want to see the Wallabies do both, but the Springboks are the only side in the world capable of that – not France, not the All Blacks and certainly not the Wallabies.
Suaalii’s big flaw eventually hurts Wallabies
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been a success story for the Wallabies, but it has always been a matter of when, not if, his tackling technique would hurt them. It did so in the 26-19 loss to Italy, in the form of a yellow card for a high shot at a critical point in the Test.
He has been too high in the tackle since switching to rugby, and got away with a few in Super Rugby Pacific, but the habit has never been eradicated from his game – and it even produced a rare show of frustration from Joe Schmidt in his post-match comments.
“The yellow card, Joseph has to go lower. He can’t afford to tackle up around,” Schmidt said.
Suaalii was already out of form, beaten in the air against England last week and guilty of one kick going out on the full against Italy. While form comes and goes, it’s that tackle technique that will really need to be corrected in the long term. He offers so much, but it’s a genuine issue.
Wallabies had been riding their luck
The decision to allow Carter Gordon’s try to stand after the ball came loose in a Harry Wilson carry earned the ire of the Udine crowd — and with some justification.
It looked relatively clear that while the Italian defender had initially tried to strip the ball from Wilson, it was still in Wilson’s possession as he rolled in the tackle and then lost it.
The Wallabies have been on the wrong side of a few big decisions this year, but that one definitely went in their favour. That bit of good fortune looked like it might be enough to give them a decisive advantage in a very even Test, but the home side took control of the breakdown in the second half – their speed to the ball and the clear view they presented to the officials were both impressive.
Schmidt and his captain, Harry Wilson, have been at pains to say they aren’t looking for excuses, but there’s clearly a bit of fatigue. Tellingly, when retired prop James Slipper was asked on the Stan coverage whether he thought 15 Tests were too many in a year, he acknowledged that it probably was – and this from a man who would play 50 Tests a year for his country if asked.
Carter Gordon gets a big tick
The new-old Wallabies No.10, Carter Gordon, impressed because he was clearly less than 100 per cent and had to be replaced due to a quad injury. He wasn’t perfect, of course, but he offered a completely different option in attack with his size and speed, making a strong first-half break before firing a great left-to-right pass.
There was enough in Udine to suggest he’s going to be the man at No.10 in future, although there is one complication – his goal kicking. He wasn’t taking the shots in Italy, presumably because of the quad injury, but even when fully fit, it’ll be the area of his game that comes under scrutiny.
Carter Gordon showed some good signs against Italy, and looks to be Australia’s long term No.10.Credit: Getty Images
Still, as the Springboks are showing with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, there’s an enormous benefit to having a bigger athlete at No.10.
Springboks first, then daylight
The 32-17 victory by the 14-man Springboks against France confirmed they are the best team in world rugby by some distance.
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They played most of the game without red-carded second-rower Lood de Jager, but it did little to prevent their total scrum domination, and they crushed the French in the final quarter with a mixture of power and athleticism.
They can play the game in so many ways, and the question now is whether anyone can catch them before the World Cup.
The All Blacks are ranked No.2 in the world, but there appears to be a significant gap between those two nations, and France’s loss in Paris will be a massive blow to Les Bleus’ confidence.
In hindsight, the Wallabies’ win at Ellis Park looks all the more remarkable.
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