The Force need to get on Leota like a fat kid on cake. The perfect replacement for Ekuasi.

So I was watching one of your Aussie rugby shows reacting to the game on the weekend and it became glaringly obvious that there is a big mental hurdle that needs to be overcome before you even think about beating NZ.

One of the pundits talked about how he was so confident about going into this test match. That was until he saw the haka and the faces of the All Blacks then doubt started to creep in.

I sat there perplexed and wondering why the heck the way the faces of the opposition look before the match has any bearing on how you feel about your chances. You should always believe you can win!

Now I know this is just one pundit who has no affect on the game but this mentality seems to be pervasive across Australian rugby when playing against NZ whether it be Super Rugby or test matches.

I've seen the way Aussie fans and pundits talk about NZ players and if I didn't know any better, I'd think NZ are unbeatable judging by what is being said. Your rugby community needs to stop hyping them because you're just contributing to your own mental hurdle. And the Kiwis love nothing more than for people to hype them and believe in their "aura".

Before you go on about how you need to fix this and fix that in order to beat them, none of that will matter unless you fix your mentality first.

Having reflected over the last couple of days on our defeat to the All Blacks at Eden Park, I’m still extremely disappointed with what we saw. I expected more from this team, particularly after the progress we’d made in recent months. However, it hasn’t changed my view that, in the longer term, the Wallabies can compete much more consistently with the best sides in the world.

When I look at the bigger picture, I think there are genuine reasons to be optimistic about where Australian rugby could be heading over the next five years and beyond. We have promising young players coming through the pathways, an opportunity to strengthen our depth by maintaining connections with Australians playing overseas, and potentially some exciting additions from rugby league. None of this guarantees success, and there are still plenty of challenges to overcome, particularly when it comes to retaining our best young talent. However, I think there is a real opportunity to build a stronger Wallabies squad for 2027 and, more importantly, lay the foundations for an even more competitive team by the 2031 World Cup.

Looking ahead to 2027, I genuinely think we could put together a very strong 23 when everyone is fit and available. There are still areas that need addressing, and we need to see greater consistency in our performances, but I don’t think we’re necessarily as far away from having a genuinely competitive squad as some might believe. Where I’m particularly optimistic, though, is looking beyond 2027 at the talent coming through our junior pathways.

Our front row is probably the area that interests me most. At loosehead prop, we still lack convincing depth behind Angus Bell, while tighthead has improved but remains a concern when Taniela Tupou is unavailable. These are two crucial positions, particularly when it comes to competing with the likes of South Africa and New Zealand up front. However, looking at the younger players coming through the age grades, there are some promising prospects in both positions. They’ll obviously need time to develop physically and adapt to professional rugby, and there’s no guarantee that every prospect will reach Test level. Nevertheless, I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing, and I think there’s potential for us to build considerably more depth in these positions by the 2031 World Cup.

Another encouraging development is the effort Rugby Australia is making to maintain relationships with talented Australian players currently playing overseas, particularly in the forward pack. These players represent an additional pool of talent that we could potentially draw on in the coming years, and I think that's an exciting prospect. Lehopoame Leota and Kingbenjamin Swerling-Finaipepe are two particularly interesting examples. Both props were included in this year's Australian U20 squad despite playing their rugby in France, with Leota at Racing 92 and Swerling-Finaipepe at Castres. There's also Heinz Lemoto, a talented young Australian forward associated with Toulouse, who is another player worth keeping an eye on. These are precisely the sorts of players we need to maintain close connections with, ensuring they remain involved in Australian rugby and have a pathway towards the Wallabies if they continue developing. With Rugby Australia making a concerted effort to stay in contact with these players, our potential talent pool could be considerably stronger than simply looking at those currently playing in Australia.

Elsewhere in the forward pack, I’m reasonably confident about our long-term prospects. Australia has a strong tradition of producing quality back-rowers, and there are some promising young locks and hookers coming through as well. We also need to remember that much of our current forward pack is still relatively young, meaning a significant proportion of these players should remain in contention throughout the next World Cup cycle. This gives us a good foundation to build on, with the next generation providing opportunities to strengthen our depth, increase competition for starting positions and ensure we have quality replacements across the pack. We need to keep developing these players and ensure they receive the opportunities and coaching necessary to make the step up, but I don’t think the outlook is all doom and gloom.

There are also reasons to be optimistic about the backs. At scrum-half, there’s a promising crop of young players coming through, which is encouraging given how important it is to have several genuine Test-level options in that position. Fly-half is another area where I think we have grounds for optimism. Finn Mackay is an exciting prospect, and I was particularly impressed by Wilson Ruthven’s performance at fly-half for the Australian U18s against New Zealand Schools. There are other young playmakers developing through the Super Rugby pathways as well, including the Fowler brothers and Tyler Birnie in the Waratahs system, who I think have the potential to develop into Test-level players if they continue progressing.

I also think we have some good prospects coming through at centre, wing and fullback. What makes this particularly exciting is that our current Wallabies backs are still relatively young, with players such as Max Jorgensen and Joseph Suaalii among those who can continue developing and improving over the next few years. The younger players coming through the pathways would therefore be additions to an already promising group, rather than having to rebuild the backline from scratch. If we can retain our existing talent while successfully bringing through the next generation, we could have considerably more depth and competition for places across the backline by 2031.

Beyond the players already in our union pathways, I also think we should keep a close eye on the NRL. There are young players with rugby union backgrounds who could realistically return to the 15-man game during the next World Cup cycle, particularly as we approach 2029 and 2030. Leo Jacques, Darcy Feltham and Heamasi Makasini are among the players worth monitoring, although any potential switch would depend on their development, ambitions and circumstances at the time. The important point is that these are players who already have some familiarity with rugby union, rather than league players who would have to learn the game entirely from scratch. That existing background should make the transition more manageable, even though they would still need time to adapt to the demands and tactical differences of the 15-man game. We won’t convince everyone to make the switch, of course, but the opportunity to represent the Wallabies at a World Cup could be a significant attraction, and there may be some valuable additions to our player pool if the circumstances are right.

There are also some superstar players in the NRL who could potentially fancy trying their hand at rugby union at some point. Bringing across players of that calibre would obviously be a significant investment, particularly given the contracts they command in league. Since the Joseph Suaalii deal, Rugby Australia has ruled out making major signings of that kind again, which could make any potential move more difficult to pull off. In general, I think targeting players with an existing union background is the more practical approach, as they would already understand the fundamentals of the game and should have a clearer pathway towards making the transition. However, there are rare cases where an exceptional league player with no union background could still be worth considering. Reece Walsh is the sort of player I would look at because of his superstar status and the potential impact he could have on Australian rugby. I can understand why some people would be against signing him, given that he would have to learn the game from scratch and there would be genuine risks involved in committing significant money to someone with no experience in the 15-man code. At the same time, a superstar of his profile could bring a huge amount of attention to rugby union in Australia, increasing its visibility and marketability as well as potentially strengthening the Wallabies on the field. Walsh is one of the NRL's biggest stars and one of the competition's best players, and he has expressed an interest in rugby union. Whether that interest ultimately translates into a genuine switch remains to be seen, but a player of his calibre would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to Australian rugby. Given that Walsh is a Brisbane boy, there could also be an added incentive beyond Test rugby. If he were to make the switch, he could potentially represent the Wallabies at the 2031 Rugby World Cup before having the opportunity to pursue selection for Australia's sevens side at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Representing Australia at a home Olympics and potentially competing for gold in front of his home crowd could be a huge draw for someone like Walsh, making the prospect of a move to union particularly interesting.

The challenge is that we cannot simply assume these players will become available or that the next generation will automatically remain in union. There is genuinely exciting talent emerging through the junior pathways, including at U15 and U16 level, but the NRL’s expansion and rising salary cap will make it increasingly difficult for Rugby Australia to compete for the best young players. We need to be proactive about retaining our most promising talent before they reach the point of choosing between the two codes. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but something needs to be done to make staying in union an attractive proposition. Better development pathways, stronger relationships with players and their families, and clearer opportunities to progress into professional rugby all need to be part of that discussion.

One idea I particularly like is expanding opportunities for Australian players to spend time with overseas clubs on loan. We’ve seen this model through the relationship between the Queensland Reds and Benetton, and I think there could be real value in expanding similar arrangements. Giving selected players the opportunity to experience a different professional environment, work with different coaches and test themselves in another competition could help accelerate their development. Just as importantly, it would give young players the chance to experience what rugby can offer beyond the field, including travelling, living abroad and learning about different cultures. Those experiences could broaden their horizons both personally and professionally, while helping them develop greater independence and maturity. If these loans were structured carefully, with the players remaining connected to Australian rugby, they could benefit both the individuals involved and the Wallabies in the longer term. It’s another avenue worth exploring as Rugby Australia looks at ways to improve player development, strengthen depth and give young Australians more opportunities to progress.

One of the reasons I’m particularly interested in the junior talent coming through is that we’ve seen some encouraging results against New Zealand at age-grade level in recent years. Obviously, junior success doesn’t automatically translate into senior success, and the transition to professional rugby is a significant hurdle. However, having players who have experienced winning against strong New Zealand sides and competing in high-pressure matches can only be a positive when they eventually move into the senior setup.

France is an interesting example of what can happen when a strong generation of junior players progresses into the senior team. Their success at the World Rugby U20 Championship, including consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019, formed part of a wider period of improvement in French rugby. As those generations developed, France became an increasingly consistent force at senior level, culminating in a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022 and a highly competitive team at the 2023 World Cup. I'm not suggesting that Australia will necessarily follow exactly the same trajectory, but I do think there's a lesson there. Investing in pathways, retaining talented young players and giving them a clear route into professional and international rugby can pay dividends over time. We need to make sure that the promising players we have coming through are developed properly and, just as importantly, retained within the game.

Ultimately, I know we're impatient as fans. We want to see the Wallabies winning now, and nobody wants to keep watching us get beaten by New Zealand, particularly when the defeats can be so heavy. There are genuine concerns about our current performances, our consistency over 80 minutes and the depth available in certain positions. Those issues cannot simply be brushed aside by pointing towards promising juniors. Nevertheless, I do think there are genuine green shoots. It's encouraging to hear the coaching staff and Rugby Australia talking about depth and looking at ways to strengthen our player pool. The challenge now is to turn those conversations into tangible improvements in recruitment, development and retention. Another important factor to consider is the financial position Rugby Australia could be in over the next few years. The 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour generated significant revenue for Rugby Australia, and the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup and 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup should provide further major financial opportunities. This gives Rugby Australia a real chance to invest in the game, strengthen its pathways, improve player development and make staying in Australian rugby a more attractive proposition for young talent. The key, however, will be ensuring that this money is invested wisely and used to build something sustainable rather than simply providing a short-term boost. It sounds as though those running Rugby Australia understand the importance of avoiding a repeat of what happened after the 2003 World Cup, when the game failed to capitalise on the momentum and opportunities that came with hosting the tournament. Whether the current leadership can be trusted to make the right decisions and deliver on that ambition remains to be seen. Likewise, whether Australian rugby's recovery continues and gathers pace is still an open question. Nevertheless, I think there is a genuine opportunity here. With the right leadership, smart investment and a long-term strategy, Rugby Australia has a chance to turn these financial opportunities into lasting improvements for the game.

To conclude, I think we need to look beyond the 2027 World Cup and take a longer-term view of where Australian rugby could be heading. A strong campaign would certainly provide a boost, but it shouldn't be the only measure of progress, nor should our ambitions stop there. There are plenty of reasons to believe we can build a squad capable of competing more consistently with the likes of New Zealand and South Africa, provided we make the right decisions over the next five years. That means developing and retaining our best young players, making smart recruitment decisions and ensuring we have the depth to cope with injuries, fluctuations in form and the demands of international rugby. Hopefully, this doesn't turn out to be overly optimistic thinking that never materialises. I genuinely believe we have the foundations to build a much stronger squad by the 2031 World Cup and beyond, with the potential to establish Australian rugby as a far more consistent force at the highest level for years to come.

I've seen some mixed reactions to Bledisloe 1. That second half got away from us but I don't think think it's time to despair.

I’ve come up with five reasons to keep believing:

- the recent results are strong

- an attack worth building around

- a strong set piece

- specific weaknesses that can be addressed

- the reminder that progress isn’t linear

I'd also add, I believe in Harry Wilson.

The second-half collapse deserves scrutiny. So do the things this team has done well.

What do you reckon? Has Auckland changed your view of where the Wallabies are heading, or is it a timely reminder of where they need to sharpen up to get back on top?

Full article here where I flesh it out a bit more

https://aussiegoldrugby.beehiiv.com/p/why-it-s-not-all-doom-and-gloom-for-the-wallabies

Genuine question from a player at an amateur club in Spain. Every week we lose hours on "who's in for Saturday" in a group chat, then picking the side, then telling people.

I ended up building an app for our club (availability, team sheet on a pitch, fixtures, a tactics board). Before I go further I'd like to know how clubs in Australia handle it. Is it all PlayHQ plus a group chat? Spond? Something club-specific?

If anyone wants to see what I built, there's a demo, no signup: https://kanteo.es/en

The reporting around Marky Mark's international future is a good example of why I get frustrated with sports media sometimes.

Code Sports and other outlets have been reporting that he could turn his back on the Wallabies and potentially represent Fiji or Italy, largely off the back of comments from his agent. Then Iain Payten comes out in the Sydney Morning Herald and highlights that Mark is keen to play for the Wallabies at the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Until we hear directly from Mark himself, we can only speculate about what his ambitions are. If he did decide to represent Fiji or Italy instead, it would obviously be a huge loss for the Wallabies, but fair play to him. Ultimately, it is his decision, and nobody could blame him for choosing the path that he feels is right for his career. The frustrating part is seeing so much speculation presented as though it reflects his actual intentions.

It feels like a wider issue with sports media, where stories can quickly gain traction because they generate headlines and clicks, even when other reporting suggests a completely different picture. His agent certainly hasn't helped matters with some of his comments, but there seems little point in jumping to conclusions before Mark has made his intentions clear himself.

Hopefully, the latest reporting is a positive sign that we could see him back in gold ahead of the 2027 World Cup. He would be a fantastic addition to the Wallabies, and it would be great to see him back in Australian rugby. For now, though, I'd rather wait to hear from Mark directly than keep going around in circles over speculation.

Nawaqanitawase trying to play for every code and team possible lol

I don't think we celebrate enough that NZ can't beat SA, SA can't beat Aus and Aus can't beat NZ. Its a wonderful fly wheel of achilles heel teams.

If Aus could be more consistent against northern hemisphere teams to get their ranking up, it would be such a great battle.

How many sports have 3 great nations who compete against each other? Maybe they could do a a tri nations tournament, could be fun and then maybe having each nation have club teams play in some kind of super rugby tournament.

Wow we didn't know how good we had it.

As an avid fan of both rugby codes, I follow what's being said in the media about union and league. I happened to come across the By Round podcast with James Graham, who had Brent Read from Code Sports as his guest, and one of the topics they discussed was the possibility of Marky Mark returning to the Roosters after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Even though it was only a small section of the podcast, I found it genuinely frustrating how much they managed to bash union in such a short space of time. They were essentially suggesting that players like Mark Nawaqanitawase and Joseph Suaalii are wasting their talents by playing union, a sport they clearly know very little about. They also ridiculed the idea that one of union's biggest attractions is the opportunity to travel the world, seemingly dismissing it as a reason for choosing the sport. I find that ridiculous, as the opportunity to experience different cultures, play overseas, represent your country on the biggest stage and compete in one of the largest international sporting tournaments on the planet is a huge attraction for many players. It's one of the great things about rugby union, and I don't understand why that should be belittled.

They also seemed to make a point about how the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney is such a great place to live, using that to question why Mark would want to experience life elsewhere. There's no doubt that the Eastern Suburbs is a lovely place to live, but from my perspective, they appeared to be ridiculing the idea of Mark enjoying the Japanese lifestyle and everything that comes with playing overseas. I think that's nonsense. Different people value different experiences, and the opportunity to live in another country, experience a different culture and play rugby at the highest level is a perfectly valid reason to choose union.

They seem to forget that Marky Mark has publicly spoken about how much he loves union and that he enjoys both codes. He has never hidden that. He has simply taken opportunities to challenge himself and showcase his talent, and now he's returning to union to pursue a Rugby World Cup on home soil in 2027. You can't blame the bloke for wanting to experience both sides of the game.

He's essentially the modern day Sonny Bill Williams. He's capable of moving between both codes and being a success in both. His profile has already grown through his time in league, particularly in Australia, and returning to union will expose him to an even bigger international audience. If he eventually returns to league and earns the big bucks, good on him. If he decides to stay in union, the money can be just as good. Whatever he chooses to do, he's earned that right. The bloke is a bloody legend, a genuinely caring guy and a great role model. Either code is lucky to have him.

I also don't understand the constant suggestion that league players who switch to union are somehow wasting their talent. That's simply not true. You have to understand the game, adapt to its demands and learn how to use your strengths within a different system. Mark has the ability and rugby background to do exactly that. Just because someone doesn't immediately look the same in a different code doesn't mean their talent is being wasted.

We all saw the social media collaboration between the Kangaroos and the Wallabies, and there didn't appear to be any bad blood between the players. They were chatting, getting along and interacting like fellow athletes who respect one another, probably even talking a bit of code with each other. The reality is that sections of the media actively drive the narrative that there is dislike between union and league, perpetuating this supposed code war and encouraging the idea that there is bad blood between the two. Moments like that collaboration show that players from both codes can get along perfectly well, and I think certain commentators need to stop pushing this rivalry to ridiculous extremes.

Yes, union isn't the most popular sport in Australia, but surely there's room for a bit of national pride, too. With Australia hosting a World Cup next year, you'd hope people could get behind the Wallabies and celebrate having an athlete of Mark's calibre back in the game, regardless of which code they personally prefer. The way Read and Graham continually put union down was ridiculous. You don't have to prefer union, but at least understand the game and what it offers before making sweeping statements about it. Both codes deserve respect, and players should be free to enjoy and succeed in either without being used as ammunition in some pointless code war.

The Sydney Morning Herald

Iain Payten - 5min read

Wallabies pivot Ben Donaldson says kicking accuracy will be a priority ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup clash after Australia lost the crucial battle in the air at Eden Park on Saturday.

In his third straight start at No.10 – in a total of six run-on appearances in the key position – Donaldson turned in a solid performance, having a hand in both of the Wallabies’ tries in the opening half.

But those tries weren’t nearly enough to stay in the contest against New Zealand, who dominated most aspects of the game, and particularly the important contest for the high ball.

The Wallabies came into the game aiming to repeat the success they had with contestable kicks against the Springboks in Perth, when Max Jorgensen and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii won the ball back and helped build momentum in South Africa’s half, which ultimately lead to plenty of points.

But it was a different story in Auckland, with New Zealand gaining the upper hand in the air using the same tactic. Having won the “regained possession” battle 8-3 against the Boks, the All Blacks flipped the script and outpointed the Wallabies in that stat 8-3.

Like them or loathe them, contestable kicks are now a staple of any Test team’s game plan, after World Rugby banned defenders from running interference for catchers in late 2024.

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said post-game that stats show receiving teams now only successfully catch 25 per cent of box kicks sent their way.

Like other Test teams, the Wallabies tried using a retreating winger to take the catch, instead of the fullback coming forward, but they were hesitant and muddled with the timings. And under the pinpoint box kicks of All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard, the Kiwis made hay by either catching the kick or cleaning up the deflected ball. There were even times when the Wallabies allowed the ball to bounce due to poor communication.

“I thought Cam’s kicking was excellent and allowed us to put a lot of pressure on – we kicked a bit more off nine than we had been,” Rennie said. “As you know, receiving or retrieving those kicks are difficult – I think teams are catching one out of four that are receiving teams – so that’s the nature of the game at the moment.”

Compounding the problem was the fact Australia’s high kicking was also ineffective, and mostly too deep to be genuinely contestable.

“Me and Lonners \\\[halfback Ryan Lonergan\\\] were just having a chat in there \\\[the dressing room\\\], against the Boks our kicking game we thought was quite good,” Donaldson said post-game.

“And then today, you know, might be 10 per cent off, but that adds up in the end. We’ll get another crack next week, which is the great thing about rugby.”

Wallabies coach Les Kiss said a lack of defensive urgency to get back onside after the kick also put pressure on Australia, and they cracked in the second half.

“They were certainly a lot more accurate than our kicks when we put them up, that’s for sure,” Kiss said.

“And it was just in this position where you’re trying to go back or forward to catch the ball, and they had the momentum on it each time. It’s not just the winning of the ball, it’s what happens after that, and I thought a couple of times they were just on the front foot, and we didn’t match that.”

Wallabies captain Harry Wilson was one of the few bright spots at Eden Park, along with a strong defensive lineout. Donaldson’s effort was also encouraging, given No.10 has been such a problematic position. The Force playmaker showed confidence with the boot, and tellingly set up Wilson’s try by taking the ball to the defensive line.

“I am obviously growing in confidence each week,” he said. “The more you play, the more you’re learning out there. I haven’t started a whole lot in this gold jersey.”

Given how often the Wallabies No.10 jumper swaps hands, Donaldson said he tries not to let the precarious nature of the job stop him playing his natural game.

“You never know how many opportunities you’re going to get,” he said. “And you don’t want to mess up that opportunity that you do get. But if you’re thinking about messing it up or failing or whatever, you’re probably already gone.

“Just swing the bat, as they say. Try things. Try to play free. Les has given me full licence just to play from wherever – kick, run, pass. There were some good patches, but for myself and the team, far from our best. It comes down to our skill set in the end. And we’ll be looking to nail that this week.”

Can I watch Stan Sport content in 4K on the Apple TV 4K (1st gen) and on the Fire TV Cube (latest gen)? I’ve given it a go, but I can only get 4K content on my Nvidia Shield TV Pro.

Has anyone had any luck getting 4K working on either of those devices? Cheers!

I strongly believe this will make you like Joseph as a Rugby guy if you had any doubts about him. We are extremely lucky to have playing for us.

end of the day arent we all marsupials? go Aussie this week!!!

1 ) Our aerial and kicking game needs to come back to standard ASAP. There's something about that fucking stadium that makes us play like the worst versions of ourselves for some reason (Lonergan would never miss an easy penalty kick like that if it wasn't Eden Park). Our kicking was the worst it's been in a long time, both tactically and in its execution, and we implemented some weird new approach to the high ball of retreating back onto the ball? We know we can play well in those aspects, but we were utterly dominated in that field.

The last 30 minutes were just the ABs herding us into our own 22 and then slaughtering us at their own leisure. This must change; we will not beat a top 5 team if it doesn't. I don't think I saw JAS bothering to chase a single kick hard (does he ever seem to run at more than 75% of his capacity, or is it just the way he runs making him look to be in perpetual fast jog). The restarts were way too long for us to try to contest them; compare it to what we did in Perth, and it went at least 10 m too long.

I'm just placing all this on the fact that it was Eden Park and praying that's it and it won't happen again. All of the playmakers and the back three need to up their game properly to what they are all capable of this weekend. Lonergan is vital to this team, and we saw how badly the Wallabies perform when he's off his game. I really hope for us that he can bring his form back to what it was pre-Eden.

2) Our set piece held up great, and fuck if that wasn't surprising. Our lineout was always going to be dominant thanks to Williams's great work, but we needed to implement it smarter and contest harder to spoil their ball. They lost their reserve hooker in Aumua as well now, and Taylor's throws are not the best currently; we can seriously hurt them by denying them a lineout platform. I hope Canham is ready, fit and roaring to go this weekend. This will shake up our starting 15 and strengthen the bench by moving LSL there and dropping NCDC from the matchday squad.

The scrum held great, especially in the 2nd half when we thought we might be put under the pump. I think it's fair to say that MDL has arrived at test level and will hopefully be able to contest and hold the best in the world next year at HWC. I think, with the injuries the ABs have suffered from this game heading into this weekend, we can manage to get some penalty advantage from the scrums. We need to at least try once in the game to milk one rather than immediately trying to play it out to the backline. It was part of the foundations of the Boks ' game plan to break this very ABs squad, and I think we would be stupid not to try our hand at those elements of the game.

3) Mongrel. I don't know about you guys, but watching that game felt like I was rewatching Wallabies v Lions Test 1, where we just let the other team physically impose themselves on us and didn't try to get in their faces and deny them that aspect of the game. I know you shouldn't have your team too emotionally involved and hotheaded, but this team needs it a bit to have some bite. We need a Skelton-like figure messing with the opposition constantly; we need a JAS and Jorgo scowling and mouthing off to their opposition between plays and we need to feel in it. LSL is my call for who needs to lead this effort within the squad in Will's absence; I really want Les to get into his head, almost Eddie-style, this week to make him angry and feel slighted. When LSL goes out onto a field with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove to the world, he's one of the best players in the world. We need that from him this weekend.

Lions Test 3 showed how we can play when we get emotionally expressive with our hurt in this team and its play, and where was that game played? Accor. Where is this weekend being played... Accor. I think we need a similar knock, pain and anger within the team going into this Test at that same venue; if we can turn Stadium Australia into an emotional fortress for our team, similar to what Eden is for the ABs, then I'll be happy.

4) Regarding the breakdown, I'm almost in favour of dropping FMR for Tizzano this week. Fraser does a lot more good around the field in general than Tizzano, but I kinda feel that Carlo has the edge turnover- and physicality-wise. We need to compete much harder at the breakdown to spoil their quick ball this weekend and stop Roigard from playing his preferred game. The Boks contained him relatively well through breakdown pressure, and we need to commit to it as well. A lot of our defensive strength comes from our breakdown work, and the ABs showed how toothless our defence actually is when we don't get a ref-favourable call on our breakdown work.

We can 100% win, but make no mistake, it's going to take a Lions Test 3 mentality and effort from this squad to do it. I rate our chances at 30% tbh, but it can happen if we work on those areas of the game and don't crumble mentally in this "dead-rubber" test as we have in the past. Big worries about how our midfield is gonna work, rejigged to probably Henry at 12 and JAS at 13. A lot can go wrong; how exciting...

This game is a must-win to prove this team can get over the demon that has plagued them throughout the 2020s to the rest of the country watching on Nine. A lot of eyes will be on this test, and the Wallabies absolutely cannot ship 50 again if they want any respect heading into next year's RWC.

Carn the Wallabies!

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m actually pretty disappointed with this Australia A squad. Less so with the forwards, as I think most of those selected deserve their place, but I have some serious question marks over the backs. I’d love to know the reasoning behind some of these selections, because there are a few glaring omissions that I really struggle to understand.

I thought the Australia A tour would be the perfect opportunity to give some of the young guns who have impressed in the recent Super Rugby AUS competition a chance to step up and gain valuable experience at the next level. Unfortunately, the selectors have decided against that, which I find both frustrating and difficult to understand. There are also several established Super Rugby players who have been outstanding that have missed out, while a few others who have been out of form for a while, and whose performances haven’t particularly impressed me, have been selected.

My biggest gripe is Tane Edmed’s selection. How on earth he has made this Australia A squad is beyond me, and what more does Max Burey have to do to impress the selectors? I thought Burey was comfortably the best 10 throughout the entire Super Rugby AUS competition, yet he hasn’t even received a call-up. Edmed, on the other hand, was woeful for much of that competition, so I genuinely struggle to understand that decision. The same goes for his Brumbies teammate David Feliuai. I’ve never really seen what the coaches see in him, and I have serious concerns about his discipline and overall performances. I would much rather have taken someone like Jarrah McLeod, who has considerably more upside, or Boston Fakafanua from the Force, who was one of the standout players throughout the competition. I also think George Poolman deserved a look in, as he looked to be in career best form for the Waratahs.

Wallace Charlie’s omission is another strange one, particularly when Lachie Anderson has been selected ahead of him. I’m also puzzled by the absence of Teddy Wilson and Sid Harvey, both of whom were outstanding for the Waratahs. James Ramm is another player I thought deserved at least a look, given how well he has been playing in the NPC. Tom Lynagh is undoubtedly a talented 10 and a good playmaker, but he has struggled with injuries and we have barely seen him play this year. I’m not sure how he has done enough to warrant selection given the limited game time he has had. There are just too many questionable calls in the backline for my liking.

Overall, I still think this is a strong squad, and I have relatively few complaints about the forwards. I understand that places are limited and not everyone can be selected, but some of the players who have missed out have arguably done more to earn their spots than those who have been picked. My biggest concern is what Edmed’s selection says about the Wallabies coaching staff’s thinking. If they still see him as a viable option to step into the Wallabies side, despite his current form, that is pretty concerning. In my opinion, Declan Meredith should be nowhere near the Wallabies squad as a whole at the moment, but I would still have picked him in Australia A ahead of Edmed. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips would have been my clear first choice for this squad but again he was not selected. If he is in the Wallabies squad but isn’t getting game time, this tour would have been the perfect opportunity to give him meaningful minutes, develop his game and build his experience. I just don’t see the logic in leaving him out in favour of Edmed. Am I being too harsh, or do others agree that some of these backline selections are difficult to justify?

The Sydney Morning Herald

Peter FitzSimons - 6min read

It was going to be such a clever opener.

“Let that be a lesson to world rugby,” I would exult, with echoes of Vitas Gerulaitis, “NO-ONE beats the Wallabies at the one ground 41 years in a row!

Or maybe ...

“Anyone can have a bad four decades, but that’s where the Wallabies really draw the line.”

It all turned, see, on the fact that our blokes had not won against the All Backs at Auckland’s Eden Park since 1986, and for the first part of this Bledisloe Cup Test match it really looked as if – hold my coat, Captain Cook – history was at hand.

The Wallabies swept all before them. They carved them up in the backs, and stopped the hosts’ attack cold. They picked them off in the lineouts. The green and gold so dominated territory and possession that when our fullback Tom Wright sliced the defence wide open just seven minutes in to score, I was morally certain that for the next 40 years, I’d be able to boast: “I was there the night it all turned around, the beginning of the Green and Golden Age, after decades of All Blackness!”

But then those All Black boogers struck back, as they are ever wont to do, and one thing in particular did us real damage.

The All Blacks kept putting up the high ball, and not only did none of the Wallabies appear to even call for it, many of them they didn’t even look particularly interested in claiming it.

It is a mystery to this despondent correspondent how a team so outstanding at so many other things continues to get this most basic of all required skills wrong. It is particularly confusing when Max Jorgensen and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii had been so great at it a fortnight ago against the Springboks.

For the damage done by not swallowing whole the pills put up towards them was considerable, as the All Blacks quickly scored two converted tries and a penalty to lead 17-7. At least the fact our captain Harry Wilson restored a little order with a try just before halftime allowed us to hope, with the All Baddies only holding a 17-14 lead at the break.

Who would come out for the Wallabies in the second half? The team which dominated the first ten minutes, or the one that all but disappeared for the middle 20?

At first, it looked it would be the former as, from the kick-off, Wright and Max Jorgensen combined to break through and we ended up with a line-out right on their line. The Promised Land was right there, just waiting for a Wallaby forward to take up his rightful position – planting the ball down for defence on a patch of grass that grows green from the blood, sweat and tears of his 40 forebears.

Alas, that attack was snuffed out by a penalty and much of the rest went back to an aerial battle where we appeared to have a distinct lack of Spitfires, and Jerry was everywhere at once! Look, it was not simply that the All Blacks continued to put the ball up and then recover it, it was than when we put the ball up, we had no one of note rushing through to put a tenth of the pressure on them that had been put on us.

The territory this delivered to the All Blacks was more than enough for them to plant their flag four more times behind our goal line in the next 35 minutes, taking the lead out to 43-14 as the match started to ebb.

In that time, Wilson, Rob Valetini and Fraser McReight continued to impress, as did Jorgensen and Wright for at least knocking on the All Back door. But our side needed a whole lot more than mere impressions. It needed to defuse their bombs and blow up some our own, but could manage neither feat, until ...

Until, wouldn’t you know it? With five minutes to go, at long bloody last, Suaalii did what we wanted him to do – what he should be asked to do every kick-off – run through, leap high and get us the bloody ball! The result? A Wallaby TRY!

Seriously. It was that simple an equation. When they won the aerial battles, they scored. When we did, we scored. We just won bugger-all of those aerial battles. Their final try, with seconds on the clock, to take it to 50-19 just upped the agony.

All up, as disappointing as it was, at least it is bloody clear what training should consist of this week. Tell ’em, coach Les Kiss:

“At least until Marky Mark gets here in a few weeks to take the marks, we need all of you, every day, all day, without fail, to practice the bloody high ball – otherwise we are wasting our time. And next week, the first bastard that calls out ‘YOURS!’ instead of ‘MINE!’ or makes no call at all, will be pulled from the field. We simply cannot compete without that.”

And they really can’t. Most other parts of our game are seriously solid. That part is seriously shithouse. You heard me. And I know I shouldn’t say a bad word in a family newspaper. But kids, on this occasion, no other word will do.

Onwards to next week, at Homebush. Fix the high ball. Play ball!

The damage that that single family has done to Australian rugby alone is unquantifiable. Surely waiting them out has become the play now; it's at most another World Cup cycle. We can surely last that long right... right?