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Paris: For the first time in five long weeks, the Wallabies didn’t train on a Monday. Instead, they strolled the Seine in Paris trying to untangle what had gone so wrong on a Spring Tour that had once promised so much.
They also found themselves defending their coach, Joe Schmidt, who is desperately trying to avoid the Wallabies slumping to their first winless Spring Tour since 1958 when they face France at Stade de France on Saturday (Sunday morning, AEDT).
“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, one of the best coaches in the world,” Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who was nominated for World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year on Tuesday, said of Schmidt.
“We’re truly grateful that we get to learn and be under his guidance. The best way for us as a playing group is to repay him on the weekend, to go out there and perform, you know, obviously, with some key moments in games where we need to get better at, but that’s just us as a playing group.
“[It’s] nothing to do with Joe. We need to stand up as individuals, for the team and work for each other.”
Tom Hooper may be only 24 years old but was able to provide some perspective, having played in the humiliating 2023 World Cup defeats to Fiji and Wales. Despite three straight losses in Europe, Hooper believes there is still significant room for growth under Schmidt.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii against Ireland in DublinCredit: AP
“He’s always working for us,” Hooper said. “When it comes to team meetings, the message is clear: he still believes in us, which is an amazing thing from a head coach.
“Straight after that loss [against Ireland], in that dressing room on the weekend, he got us all up on our feet, dusted us off, got us connected as a group, and he gave us one clear message, and that’s that he still believes in us. We have to believe in what we’re doing. As Joe said, these results haven’t gone our way, but they are going to make us better.
“I’ve sat in a changing room in 2023 after the defeat to Wales, where we genuinely didn’t throw any punches at all. The progress that we’ve had since then has been amazing.
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“And I know for the Australian fan base, it seems at the moment that we’re really down in the dumps. We are mentally, but physically and in terms of our belief and our psyche towards where we can take this team and where we are going to take this team, it’s never been stronger, and the key driver of that has been Joe Schmidt.”
Suaalii has been part of a backline that has failed to launch in Europe, but believes the poor performances are for the players to own.
Suaalii carried the ball seven times against Ireland and said it was up to him to find opportunities in the game.
“I don’t think the game of rugby is just about ball in hand, I believe that you can make an impact defensively, aerially, helping other teammates to get in the space, that’s how I see the game,” Suaalii said.
“I don’t necessarily just see it as myself getting the ball in hand. Obviously I’d love to, but that’s on me to study the game and see where I can pop up on the field and connect with different teammates.”
Ahead of the final Test of the year, Hooper said the Wallabies had not forgotten what they are playing for as they seek to avoid losing four Tests in Europe for the first time since 1958.
“We’re incredibly fortunate, incredibly, incredibly privileged to be placed in this role. We don’t take that lightly at all,” Hooper said.
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“With being grateful for that position. We need to make sure that we’re taking the ball with both hands when we’re on that training pitch, and we’re putting everything we can into the jersey ...
“I hope the Australian public knows that we bloody care, like we really want these results to go our way.”
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