Joe Schmidt identifies one area of concern ahead of Wallabies’ ‘massive challenge’

Joe Schmidt has described the task of coaching the Wallabies as a “massive challenge” as he looks to improve the two-time world champions’ standing in the international game.

Former Ireland boss Schmidt took over Australia’s coaching reins from Eddie Jones, who acrimoniously resigned last October after the Wallabies’ disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign, just 10 months into a five-year contract, having won just two out of nine Tests.

Jones has subsequently been appointed as Japan’s head coach while the Wallabies are currently languishing in a lowly ninth position in World Rugby’s official rankings.

Experienced coach

Schmidt is one of the most experienced coaches in the global game and apart from his successful stint with Ireland from 2013 to 2019, he also served as an assistant coach with New Zealand in 2022 and 2023 and helped them reach last year’s Rugby World Cup final which they lost narrowly to arch rivals South Africa.

His reign as Wallabies head coach will get underway in just under a month when they take on Wales in Sydney on July 6 and he is keen to get stuck into his new role.

“Every challenge is unique and I think coaching the Wallabies is going to be unique but I think my past experiences they’re always useful,” Schmidt told the Wallabies’ official website.

“They are just experiences but aren’t solutions. They don’t drive a particular direction but they allow a few different perspectives that have leaked into the lens of how I view the game from and the people who play the game.

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“I think that’s all useful when you look at a group of athletes to get players together in the most cohesive fashion to make sure they enjoy the experience and understand the experiences is going to be important.”

The 52-year-old is set to name his first official squad within the next few weeks but has already held training sessions with Western Force and Waratahs players.

Apart from the two-Test series against Wales – with the second encounter set to take place on Melbourne on July 13 – the Wallabies are also set to face Georgia in Sydney on July 20.

That means Schmidt does not have much time to mould his charges into a competitive unit ahead of the Rugby Championship and the end-of-year tour. Despite having limited time to work with his players, Schmidt is keen to get stuck into his new job.

‘Massive challenge’

“To get a team operating as a really positive unit. That’s a massive challenge,” he explained.

“I think you’ve got to get your playing group together, get alongside your other staff, determine what the best direction is to go and then try and really build some trademarks.

“Any team that doesn’t have a solid set-piece is going to be vulnerable and any team that doesn’t look after the ball or a strategy around where they want to go, how they want to deliver the game will be inconsistent if you don’t have that clarity.”

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