Don’t blame the ref: Sloppy Wallabies need to look at themselves

September 28, 2025 — 9.30am

The Wallabies’ 33–24 loss to the All Blacks at Eden Park looked like two Test teams playing under the illusion that they would be refereed the same way that they are in Super Rugby Pacific.

That was never going to be the case, and both sides must take their share of responsibility for an ill-disciplined clash that never hit any great heights.

Maligned whistleblower Andrea Piardi’s lack of action against Jordie Barrett for a tip tackle was problematic, but frankly, at least one-third of the Wallabies’ penalties were obvious and avoidable — offside at the ruck, no-arms tackles, and playing the man at the lineout, to name but three.

We know the Wallabies’ discipline has been an issue in recent years — it undermined Dave Rennie’s tenure — and there are clearly some deep-rooted bad habits that even Joe Schmidt is finding hard to break. What is allowed to pass in Super Rugby Pacific isn’t tolerated in the Test arena, and the Wallabies need to correct their course before the end-of-year tour of Europe.

Wallabies’ slow starts might need stronger medicine

Whatever the Wallabies’ coaches and leaders are saying before Test matches isn’t working. The slow start at Eden Park was the fifth such occasion this year — the first British and Irish Lions Test, the Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park, both Tests against Argentina, and now the Bledisloe opener.

Harry Wilson of Australia leads his team onto the field.Credit: Getty Images

That’s a horrible trend, and it feels like the side is subconsciously putting so much faith in the bench that the opening quarter isn’t seen as critical. Will Skelton’s potential return in Perth next week should help address it, but does Angus Bell need to start in the No.1 jersey? Does a mad dog like Carlo Tizzano need to be unleashed in his home city?

The slow starts have grown into an issue that requires fresh thinking.

This was a chance blown by the Wallabies

This isn’t a great All Blacks side by any stretch of the imagination, and the superiority in contact shown by Tom Hooper and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, in particular, confirmed that the Wallabies had the edge when they went hard at them.

Will Jordan of New Zealand collects the high ball.Credit: Getty Images

The slow start and James O’Connor’s string of unforced mistakes off the boot should therefore be seen in light of the Wallabies letting slip a rare opportunity at Eden Park. Aerially, they also lost some key battles, but they were never markedly inferior in any facet of the game, with the scrum achieving parity before one late penalty.

Captain Harry Wilson’s technical offence at an All Blacks lineout — after the Wallabies had closed the gap to two points — was a massive moment in the Test, and another example of handing the All Blacks some gift territory. When the Wallabies went through their phases, they looked good — they are a red-hot chance in Perth.

Springboks are on a different level

The Rugby Championship can still be won mathematically by the Wallabies, All Blacks, or Springboks — but the engraver should already get to work putting South Africa’s name on the trophy. They were frightening when they clicked in the 67–30 demolition of Argentina in Durban, with young No. 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scoring 37 points in a remarkable performance.

The Springboks have a bulldozer scrum, a human tank in the No.8 jersey in Jasper Wiese, and an electric backline. It helps that next week’s game is at Twickenham — after Los Pumas gave up home advantage — but they don’t need any assistance after taking their game to new heights.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu and No.13 Canan Moodie, both 22, are special talents in that backline.

Mark Nawaqanitawase is marketing gold

The Roosters winger’s comments about why he loves the greater “freedom” in rugby just did Rugby Australia’s marketing for them for the next five years.

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Rugby has done a reasonable job selling its international appeal to athletes — something Nawaqanitawase also touched on — but not so well on the merits of the game itself.

His assessment, therefore, that the NRL was too structured for his taste came at the perfect time, as Australian rugby positions itself as the best place for young athletes in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup.

It’s not going to spark a flood of the NRL’s best and brightest changing codes, but young guys with options look up to the likes of Nawaqanitawase and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii — and they listen.

Watch all the action from the 2025 Rugby Championship on Stan Sport.

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