Schmidt challenges Wallabies to 'roll up their sleeves' after gruesome year / Photo: Thibaud MORITZ - AFP
Schmidt challenges Wallabies to 'roll up their sleeves' after gruesome year
Even at 60 years of age and with more than two decades of coaching experience, Australia coach Joe Schmidt has rarely experienced a tougher past few months.
The New Zealander has led the Wallabies to a record 10 defeats in the calendar year and the 48-33 loss at France on Saturday in Paris meant they succumbed to a first winless European tour since 1958.
Schmidt, who was head coach of Ireland between 2013 and 2019, took over the Wallabies job after Eddie Jones' disastrous tenure ended in September 2023.
It was never going to be easy but despite winning the third 'dead-rubber' Test against the British and Irish Lions and then producing an extraordinary comeback win against South Africa at Ellis Park, this year has been particularly difficult.
Australia's next games will be the first fixtures of the Nations Championship in July against Ireland, France and Italy.
"We're just going to roll up our sleeves and we're not finished yet," Schmidt told reporters.
"I always said it wasn't going to be linear.
"We're just going to keep working and I think we can genuinely crack that top six rankings and then, you know, fight our way forward from there," he added.
Following the Tests next July, Schmidt will stand down and give way to Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss, having originally wanted to leave the role this year.
The Wallabies will have a shot at revenge in the Nations Championship, after suffering humblings to all three teams, as well as England, during the past four weeks.
"I was supposed to finish earlier and it would have been easy to finish earlier because I knew how tough this tour was going to be," Schmidt said.
"But you don't walk away from a group of men who are working this hard and leave them asunder."
- 'Brave' Edmed -
One major issue for Schmidt this year has been his inability to decide on a first-choice fly-half.
The likes of experienced James O'Connor, rugby league convert Carter Gordon and Tom Lynah have all tried out in the key playmaking role while the talented Ben Donaldson has been in the cold since the Lions tour.
Tane Edmed, 25, made just his ninth Test appearance during the loss in the French capital having being called up to start on the eve of the game after an injury to Gordon.
"He is a very young and inexperienced 10 but I think he's really growing in the game," Schmidt said.
"I thought he was really brave. His passing game is getting better and better and he's understanding more of the subtleties about trying to run the team and work our way around the field."
That fly-half position will be at the top of the list of fixes as Schmidt, Kiss and the Wallabies look ahead to the next World Cup which they will be hosting in 2027.
R.Verbruggen--JdB
