Why Joe Schmidt has compared Harry Wilson to Johnny Sexton after ‘great job’ leading Wallabies
British & Irish Lions kicking coach Johnny Sexton (inset) and Wallabies captain Harry Wilson in discussion with referee Ben O'Keeffe.
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has praised skipper Harry Wilson’s leadership skills and extensive rugby law knowledge and said it has become a major asset for the side.
Despite having the vastly experienced starting front-row trio of Allan Alaalatoa, David Porecki and James Slipper – who have all captained Australia in the past – in his ranks, Schmidt has opted to stick with Wilson as the side’s skipper for Saturday’s clash with the Lions at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.
This, despite the Wallabies suffering a 27-19 defeat in last weekend’s opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane.
Changing fortunes
Wilson has led the Wallabies in nine of their last 10 Tests since Schmidt handed the responsibility to the number eight during last year’s Rugby Championship, after he was recalled to Australia’s squad after being ignored by former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones during the 2023 season.
The 25-year-old’s knowledge of the game came to the fore strongly during the early stages of the first Test against the Lions.
He correctly argued with referee Ben O’Keeffe that a quick lineout taken by Jamison Gibson-Park from in front of the mark should’ve been a Wallabies turnover, rather than the re-throw that happened in that clash.
Although the play did not affect Australia, as Fraser McReight won a breakdown penalty for the team shortly afterwards, Schmidt believes Wilson’s intricate knowledge of the laws is a definite positive for his side.
The experienced coach even compared Wilson’s leadership style to legendary former Ireland and Lions fly-half Johnny Sexton, who is part of the tourists’ backroom staff on their Australian tour as a kicking coach.
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Schmidt was Ireland’s head coach from 2013 to 2019 and although Sexton only became his country’s captain after that coaching stint, he was an integral leader during one of the most successful periods in Irish rugby’s history when they rose to the top of World Rugby’s official rankings under Schmidt’s guidance.
“There’s one contentious one about taking a throw-in in front of the mark and what the consequence of that is. Harry had an idea of what not allowing it to go five metres was and expressed that, but was told that wasn’t the rule,” Schmidt told reporters.
‘I thought that was really good from Harry’
“Those are some of the things that Harry’s growing in. I thought that was really good from Harry.
“That’s one of the things that I think having had experienced players in the past, and not necessarily even captain, can be invaluable, like even when Johnny [Sexton] wasn’t captain, I think he was a bit of a handful for referees because his law knowledge was incredibly good.”
That is why Schmidt is comfortable with Wilson retaining the captaincy as the back-rower continues to expand his knowledge.
“Harry’s done a great job and is captain again this week. Harry is very comfortable with how that is at the moment,” added Schmidt.
“We have a pretty strong leadership group and those guys tend to share the responsibility to lead the team. In the huddle today, the guy speaking wasn’t Harry; it is very mixed in how those discussions are taken on, and we like the fact that the responsibility is shared.
“Harry doesn’t have a massive experience of captaining teams. He hasn’t done it that often, so it’s still something he’s coming to terms with and learning about.”
