After the cold, hard reality of a first Spring tour defeat in freezing Scotland, the Wallabies have landed for their last dance in Dublin under rare blue skies and the opportunity to take one of world rugby’s most prized scalps.
Scotland reminded the Wallabies just how difficult a grand slam tour is with a ruthless performance that highlighted a far bigger gulf than the 14 points separating the two sides at the final whistle. Saturday’s match against Ireland may not be for a grand slam, but it still represents a critically important game for the Wallabies.
The former apprentice faces his old master
The highly anticipated coaching clash between Ireland’s Andy Farrell and Australia’s Joe Schmidt has already filled Irish newspapers. Saturday’s Test will be Farrell’s last in charge of Ireland before he takes a year-long sabbatical to coach the Lions.
Farrell was Schmidt’s assistant from 2016 until 2019 when he took over the head coaching role full-time. Schmidt had taken over an Ireland team at its lowest ebb in 2013, with their poorest ever world-ranking of ninth, and had built a team that won the Six Nations Championship in 2014, 2015 and a grand slam in 2018.
Farrell used Schmidt’s platform and continued to build a dominant Ireland team, winning a grand slam in 2023 and a Six Nations Championship in 2024. Farrell will call upon a large contingent of tried and trusted Ireland squad players for his British and Irish touring party, giving Schmidt an early opportunity to lay down an early marker between the two coaches.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt oversees training in Edinburgh.Credit: SNS Group via Getty Images
Putting the Lions on notice
After wins against England and Wales, hopes soared at the prospect of a tour grand slam and just as quickly a tough defeat against Scotland has the potential to kill the momentum that had been so painfully built up for the Wallabies.
Ireland provides the perfect opportunity for the Wallabies to win back the respect they desperately crave ahead of the Lions tour, not just in Europe, but back home in Australia. The reigning Six Nations champions have invited the Wallabies to Dublin as opponents for their 150th anniversary, but the warm welcome will stop by match day.
The gradual evolution of the Wallabies into a confident attacking side after the disaster of the 2023 World Cup has been admired in Ireland, but the true test will be how they can perform against the strongest of the home nations.
Canberra-born Mack Hansen in action for Ireland against Fiji.Credit: Getty Images
Ireland have not quite been themselves in November. They lost to New Zealand and just sneaked home against Argentina by three points. Their most recent 35-point win against Fiji was emphatic, but there are question marks on what is their strongest side.
The incumbent five-eighth Jack Crowley is facing a considerable challenge from Sam Prendergast after years of stability under the retired Jonathan Sexton. The Wallabies had little opportunity to attack with the ball in hand against Scotland and must do this in Dublin in the expected milder conditions.
Across the Ireland team, there are potential match-ups for the Wallabies against potential Lions tourists. Angus Bell, normally a world-class operator, has had two poor games against Wales and Scotland by his lofty standards and knows that Ireland’s tighthead Tadhg Furlong is almost guaranteed to start for the Lions Test side. If Bell can match or even beat Furlong in the scrum, the Wallabies can take considerable confidence ahead of next year’s series.
Ironing out the Wallabies’ creases
In Ireland, Schmidt is still revered as a coach who transformed Ireland’s fortunes through work ethic, detail and discipline. Similarly, the Wallabies have spoken about the coach’s ability to ensure that each squad member is across the minutiae of their role in attack and defence.
After a strong opening quarter against Scotland, when the Wallabies took a direct route into the Scottish defence, the famed Schmidt attention to detail was neglected by his team. Tackles were missed all over Murrayfield: 34 in total, the second-most since 35 in their 28-31 defeat against New Zealand in Sydney.
Discipline was also a disaster, with 14 penalties conceded, with the Wallabies struggling to get to grips with Ireland’s Chris Busby, particularly at the breakdown. Against Ireland, Australia can easily address this and not make life any harder for themselves than it already will be.
The Wallabies will also likely welcome back Fraser McReight who will go up against one of the best back rows in the world, in Josh van der Flier, Tadhg Beirne and Caelan Doris.
McReight’s absence was brutally exposed against Scotland, with breakaway Jamie Ritchie beating his replacement Carlo Tizzano to the ball at the breakdown. Already gaining a reputation as a world-class player, McReight can lift to another level if he can match this Irish unit in Dublin. McReight and his teammates will not be short of motivation.
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