Lost in the fanfare of the Wallabies’ drought-breaking win at Twickenham was the fact that it was achieved without an overseas-based player.
Even though Samu Kerevi and Will Skelton were in the squad for the first time in 2024, the most we saw of the latter was a half-time interview with former Wallaby Justin Harrison on Stan.
Neither was picked because they weren’t up to speed with the detail required to play in Schmidt’s side.
Although many were surprised that neither made the matchday side to take on England in their opening Grand Slam fixture, it shouldn’t have because from the moment Schmidt put on the green Wallabies tie in Sydney he said he wanted to pick from within.
“I’d be great if we can select almost entirely [from] Australia … rather than chase guys from overseas,” Schmidt said in his first interview as Wallabies coach in January.
Schmidt’s comments weren’t something necessarily new.
Every Wallabies coach since Michael Cheika has hoped to pick from within, but as the defeats added up, they’ve generally looked further afield.
But Schmidt, more than any other coach, has articulated why he’s desperately wanted to look within.
“I just know that getting a squad of 23 on a matchday to all be perfectly aligned and comfortable with the way of playing, if you create too much differentiation between what they’re used and what you’re expecting from them, I just think that’s just going to be too difficult to bed in and gain any consistent performance,” Schmidt said.
“One of the things that people love about the sport and one of the things that I love about rugby is how interdependent it is. You might get a star shooter in a team of five in a basketball game, you can have a star player in a rugby match but it’s very hard for them to do much by themselves. It’s that connectivity, that inter-reliance, building that in rugby, you don’t do that overnight. I’m looking forward to seeing how we can fast-track that as best as we can, but, at the same time, be realistic about where we are currently and where we were at the end of last year and create a base that’s as solid as we can to build from that.”
Joe Schmidt oversaw an Australian win over England at Twickenham without an overseas-based Wallaby. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
That’s not to say that Schmidt will abandon that plan this weekend, with the experienced coach likely to draft in at least Skelton to take on Wales in Cardiff.
But, by defeating England at Twickenham, Schmidt has created an internal belief that his men on the ground in Super Rugby are capable of going toe-for-toe with another of last year’s World Cup semi-finalists; a long way from the 40-6 nightmare suffered in Lyon 14 months earlier.
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Why Twickenham performance taps into Dwyer’s winning formula
Former World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer said you need five world-class players to challenge for rugby’s greatest prize.
Unfortunately, in recent years you could barely name one player in Australian rugby who satisfied that criteria.
One or two looked to have had the goods, but that’s been more on potential than anything else.
Even the prized John Eales Medal has been shared between just five players in 13 years – two of those men haven’t played for the Wallabies since 2019.
But what was pleasing about the weekend’s five-point win was you could have named any number of players of the match and justified it.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s head-turning feats on debut wowed the English pundits, but Angus Bell, Jeremy Williams, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright each had claims for the award.
Angus Bell is developing into a world class loosehead. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
That says plenty about the rising stocks in Australian rugby and its developing base.
But it also speaks to the fact the majority of the players who starred against England are seasoned Super Rugby players, who are now finding their feet at the international level.
Doing the basics well
Two years ago, on the eve of the Wallabies heading on their end of year tour, Laurie Fisher delivered the national side some home truths.
In their final training session before jumping on a flight to London, Fisher, who had just joined Dave Rennie’s coaching staff, said what made the Brumbies so consistent was they did the basics well. He then questioned whether the Wallabies did the same.
That theme has been a running theme under Schmidt in 2024, with the experienced mentor at pains to express the importance of being able to walk before you can run.
Even Mike Cron – the decorated ‘scrum doctor’, who spent two decades with the All Blacks – was alarmed by some of the missing core skills expected for a Test player.
Against England, the Wallabies got the majority of the basics right.
The lineout fired, their discipline was outstanding, Williams owned the kick restart, they were alert at the breakdown, the Wallabies, for the most part, kicked well and their handling was largely good, too.
Only Taniela Tupou struggled up front, with the giant prop having an off afternoon. Is there more to the heavily strapped knee than what’s been let on?
Southern Hemisphere’s timely reminder
Super Rugby has been copping it ever since New Zealand’s sides took a stranglehold over the competition in 2016.
The decision to end Super Rugby as we know it in 2020, including South Africa’s association with the competition, and move to solely a Pacific version added to the pile on. The Springboks’ second straight Webb Ellis Cup was another kick in the guts for Super Rugby.
But the first full international weekend of the November window was another reminder that the south, including The Rugby Championship, still reigns supreme.
It wasn’t just the Wallabies’ historic victory, but the All Blacks’ over Ireland, Argentina’s clinical win over Italy, and Fiji’s come-from-behind victory over Wales. The Springboks, meanwhile, made it a clean sweep for the five big guns from the south.
The intangible benefit of Suaalii
It wasn’t just what Suaalii did on the field against England that made his debut special, it’s what his presence did for his teammates.
In recent years, certain players have benefitted from having others around them.
In the same way Ikitau thrived playing alongside Samu Kerevi and Quade Cooper during the 2021 Rugby Championship, the Wallabies stood taller at Twickenham playing alongside Suaalii.
Some players can do that. It’s the stardust that makes people believe. The All Blacks had it for years. They could look across the sheds and see great standing next to great.
The Wallabies had it for a while, too. They’d look at Israel Folau standing shoulder to shoulder with them and know they were safe at the back and lethal with ball-in-hand.
Australia’s Len Ikitau had one of his best performances for the Wallabies in Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s maiden Test. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)
Suaalii, who represented Samoa at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, has the ability to connect with the heavy Polynesian influence throughout the Wallabies and Anglo-Saxons.
His connection with Bell is well-known and the loose-head prop was another who played out of his skin.
Noah Lolesio, meanwhile, had one of his best Tests, with the playmaker’s decision-making first-class.
Chip-on-shoulder attitude that helped light the fire
David Campese and Ben Youngs have copped plenty in recent days for their stinging remarks over the last week, but the Wallabies should be thankful for their colourful and brutal commentary.
After playing like pampered pups for years, the Wallabies rolled up their sleeves and used the negative commentary surrounding the team as motivation.
Right from the final whistle, the playing group one-by-one provided insights into their feelings.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto mimicked Chandler Cunningham-South’s try celebration and then subtly called out Youngs as the Wallabies made a tunnel for England to walk through following the win.
Then Ikitau, whose audacious out-the-back flick pass put Max Jorgensen away for the match-winning try, posted on Instagram a photo with the caption “Say less”.
The Wallabies aren’t the first to use external noise as motivation.
Indeed, the All Blacks have thrived on people, including the Wallabies, claiming the Bledisloe Cup is ripe for the picking and their aura has dissipated.
The Springboks also took it personally when many questioned the ethics of their “bomb squad” during last year’s World Cup.
Laurie Fisher’s animated half-time message at Twickenham was another that looked to have done wonders.
Now, the Wallabies must ensure they back it up.
Schmidt, meanwhile, has found out a bit more about his team.
It’s something he said would take time.
“I’ve seen these guys play but I don’t know who they are, and I reckon getting to know who they are is as important as how they play,” Schmidt said at his opening press conference in January.
“That’s part of the investment of the next three, four, five months.”
Christy Doranhttps://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/12/schmidts-masterplan-coming-to-life-as-wallabies-take-giant-step-towards-dwyers-winning-formula-five-things/Schmidt’s masterplan coming to life as Wallabies take giant step towards Dwyer’s winning formula – five things
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