The Wallabies have been written off year by year, game by game, for ages now. I get it.
That disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign made both Australian fans – and those abroad – stop believing.
However, quietly in the shadows, the Wallabies have been rebuilding, and when the Lions tour in July this year, I think we will be in for a closer series than you think.
Let’s start with the Super Rugby. So far this season, the Aussie teams have been more competitive than ever.
All four Australian sides have climbed to the top six. The Brumbies, Reds, Waratahs and Force are all in positions 3-6 on the ladder. No, this is not a fluke or an early-season flurry.
We’re nine rounds in, and yes, it’s close throughout the whole table, but I think there’s a chance they all survive come the business end of the season.
Besides that, all the Australian teams are undefeated at home against New Zealand sides.
Not to mention the Australian teams have won two over the ditch, with the Reds beating the Highlanders 29-23 and the Brumbies beating the Blues 21-20.
Now, where are these results coming from? It’s simple. All the players want a spot in that team come July.
One of the major examples is Force star, Carlo Tizzano. So far, he has 11 tries in seven matches and is the top scorer in the Super Rugby.
Players are stepping up not for the Super Rugby but for the Lions Tour. They want to win – and I’m all for it.
Joe Schmidt with the Wallabies at Ballymore. Photo: Wallabies media, Julius Dimataga
You can’t say Joe Schmidt hasn’t changed Australian rugby in a way. He changed their style of play back to offensive-based rugby.
Remember that full-field try against Wales in July and that winning try by Max Jorgensen against England in England!
These are key examples of how Schmidt has changed the style of play within the Wallabies.
With Joe Schmidt leaving, he’ll want to leave with a bang – and what better way to do it than by winning the Lions tour on home soil.
A bit of courage and effort is what will get them there.
Remember that 2023 World Cup? Yes, very disappointing. But a few of the players who took part in that failure and were disappointed are now experienced blokes, but still young.
For example, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, and Angus Bell are some of the many to be there.
James Slipper, the most capped Wallabies player ever, will be here to mentor and lead these players.
Furthermore, the rumours of James O’Connor taking part in the squad will add experience to the team.
All throughout the squad, from the forwards to the backs, there are world-class players emerging; Valetini and Tom Wright are just two.
But can they get the job done? That is the question.
The rebuilding of Australian rugby has been a major struggle, but a Lions series win would change rugby in this country forever.
All those years of failure, fall, and disappointment culminate in this Test series. Come on Australia.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
World Rugby have named an Italian referee as one of three refs for the Lions Tests against the Wallabies, just days after he was…
Then what? How will rugby in Australia sustain itself once the two big lump sums run out?
Brisbane beckons. Just as in 2013 the cemetery turned sports cauldron will welcome tourists and home fans to the fast track bermuda-rye speedway after…
It’s too early to make predictions but it is clear that players under 30 will create an incredibly entertaining year that the sport needs.
There’s a lot of rugby still left to play before the Australian tour but these are the players who had strong form in the recent internationals.
