Wallabies return from Europe winless with green shoots wilting
Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - France v Australia - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - November 22, 2025 France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey in action with Australia's Josh Nasser REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
SYDNEY :The Australian optimism raised by test victories over the British & Irish Lions and South Africa earlier this year has been all but extinguished by two losses to the All Blacks and a winless tour of Europe in November.
Defeats at the hands of England, Italy, Ireland and France over the last four weeks make it hard to argue with a world ranking of seventh heading into the December 3 draw for the 2027 World Cup, which Australia will host.
Joe Schmidt will still be in charge for three more home tests in the inaugural Nations Championship next July before handing over the reins to Les Kiss, and has made it clear there will be no more extensions.
The highly-respected New Zealander, who oversaw five wins and 10 losses this season, has undoubtedly improved the Wallabies since taking over in the wake of the humiliating pool stage exit at the 2023 World Cup.
Openside Fraser McReight, loose forward Tom Hooper, prop Angus Bell, centres Len Ikitau and Joseph Suaali'i as well as outside back Max Jorgensen have all illustrated that there is still plenty of quality in the Australian talent pool.
The slide into ill-discipline, uncertainty under the high ball as well as some directionless back play on the November tour, however, was an all-too-familiar reminder of the failings of the Wallabies over the last decade.
Injuries to fullback Tom Wright and scrumhalf Tate McDermott certainly robbed the backline of two potent attacking weapons but Australia relied too often on individual brilliance for tries.
FLYHALF AN ISSUE FOR WALLABIES
Schmidt started five flyhalves in the 15 tests Australia played in 2025, but none consistently produced the sort of performance that would be acceptable to any of the teams above them in the world rankings.
Injury took its toll with Noah Lolesio lasting an hour of the opening test before being ruled out for the season, while Carter Gordon managed just 54 minutes back in the gold shirt before returning to the treatment room.
James O'Connor was brilliant in the win over South Africa in Johannesburg but, at 35, is probably best utilised as a finisher as he approaches the twilight of his career.
Tom Lynagh and Tane Edmed may turn out to be world class pivots but, at 22 and 25, neither has managed to even nail down a starting spot at Super Rugby level yet.
The November tour again illustrated that trying to take on the best in Europe without a world class kicker is akin to entering a fight with one hand tied behind your back - you can win but you need to produce something really special.
The issue was starkly exposed against France on Saturday, where an improved performance by the Wallabies was hampered by the inability to build scoreboard pressure.
Schmidt believes his players learned plenty on Australia's first winless four-test of Europe since 1958 and is hoping that they will be able to show the progress they make during the Super Rugby season when they host Ireland, France and Italy next July.
"They will get something out of this tour. They will learn from this tour, and I think they'll improve from the tour," he said in Paris.
"They'll improve when they've had the chance to digest it and recharge. One of the things is that next July, the three teams that were played over the last three weeks, the players will get to measure themselves again against the same three teams.
"We're just going to roll up our sleeves, and we're not finished yet."
