Wallabies will get things right before Lions tour, promises Rugby Australia chief

By Sports Desk September 12, 2024

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh is confident the Wallabies will be ready to compete with the British and Irish Lions next year, despite suffering the heaviest defeat in their Test history last time out.

Australia were crushed 67-27 by Argentina in the Rugby Championship last time out, their third defeat in four games in this year's tournament.

They were also dumped out of last year's Rugby World Cup in the pool stage following losses to Fiji and Wales, and they are down to ninth in the World Rugby Rankings.

The British and Irish Lions will face Australia in three Tests when they tour down under between June and August next year, with many fearing Joe Schmidt's team will be blown away.

Waugh, however, says there is plenty of time for the Wallabies to get things right before then, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: "You can see the progress is there.

"It is not nearly where we need it to be, but if we keep progressing at the speed with which we have moved things in the last six months, then there is plenty of time.

 

"It is a team that is, and I hate using the word 're-building', but it is a team that is re-setting, and it takes experience in big moments to get better. 

"Obviously, the enormity of the scoreline in that second half was disappointing.

"But there is context that is important... we are not the most experienced team in world rugby, and we are building that experience."

Australia conclude their Rugby Championship campaign with two fixtures against New Zealand before the end of September, then face England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in their Autumn International Tests in November.

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    Harry Brook focused on the positives as he saluted England's performances, despite their 3-2 ODI series defeat to Australia.

    Australia clinched a 49-run victory by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the final ODI in Bristol.

    England had recovered from 2-0 down in the series with Brook, who captained the hosts in Jos Buttler's absence, leading their charge with 110 not out and 87 in the third and fourth ODI respectively.

    Brook (72) and Ben Duckett (107) put on a fantastic 132-run stand on Sunday to set a target of 310, though it proved academic as DLS came into play with the tourists on 165-2 with 29 overs remaining when rain stopped play.

    However, the stand-in skipper believes the experience will benefit him and his team-mates in the long run.

    "It's not just the present now, we're looking long-term," said Brook, who was named the ODI player of the summer.

    "We're trying to build towards the bigger series and competitions. It's a new brand of cricket we're trying to play, and I think we've done that perfectly.

    "Getting out of the power play, we didn't get the wickets we wanted, but outside of that, we've done really well."

    On his own performance, he added: "It's nice to get on the board, score a few runs and contribute to some wins. I haven't played too much, but it's nice to finally get the tempo of ODI cricket.

    "Captaincy has been good. It's something I might think about in the future, but I'll sit back and let Jos do it for now."

  • Australia clinch series win over England after rain stops play Australia clinch series win over England after rain stops play

    Australia clinched a 49-run victory on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the final ODI against England to seal a 3-2 series win.

    Having won the third and fourth ODIs to tee up a grandstand finish to the series in Bristol, England started well on Sunday.

    England, inspired by Ben Duckett's second ODI century and Harry Brook (72), looked well set after storming to 202 before the latter was dismissed.

    Yet the hosts slipped from 202-3 to 238-6 in less than 10 overs, with Duckett going for 107, and though Adil Rashid (36) steadied the ship, Australia were set a manageable target of 310 to win.

    In total, eight wickets fell for 107 runs, all of them to spin, with Travis Head (4-28) doing the damage for the tourists, who subsequently set about making inroads into the target.

    Head reached 31 from 26 balls before he was dismissed by Brydon Carse (1-36) in the eighth over, while Matthew Short had plundered his way to 58 by the time he was sent packing in the 13th.

    Steve Smith (36 not out) and Josh Inglis (28 not out) subsequently took control before the rain closed in with Australia on 165-2 with 29 overs remaining, leaving them clear winners once DLS came into play.

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    The weather ultimately frustrated England, but they only have themselves to blame for another batting collapse. 

    England have slipped to their first defeat in an ODI series of four games or more since a 3-2 loss to South Africa in February 2016, while this loss also snapped a run of three straight 50-over wins at the County Ground.

    Australia, meanwhile, clinched their first win in an ODI series of at least four games since they beat Pakistan 5-0 in 2019.

  • Kolisi delighted with Springboks resilience after Rugby Championship triumph Kolisi delighted with Springboks resilience after Rugby Championship triumph

    South Africa captain Siya Kolisi was delighted with the character of his side as they defeated Argentina 48-7 to win the Rugby Championship title on Saturday.

    In a role reversal last week, the Pumas denied Kolisi’s team the chance to win the title with a game to spare, pipping them to the post in a thrilling 29-28 win.

    But the Springboks channelled the frustration from that near miss into a crushing win against the same opponents, and a first title in the competition since 2019.

    Kolisi said: “I am lost for words but it has been a journey and a half, after last week, the way we stood up today says a lot about our team.”

    The Springboks captain was also full of praise for his opponents, stating they will only improve in the coming years and that both sides share similarities.

    He told Sky Sports: “Argentina are a side you cannot look over, how hard they work and what they did to us last week - they are a proud nation, similar to South Africa, the way they use the ball like we do. They will only get better and better."

    Kolisi also reserved special praise for lock and long-time friend Eben Etzebeth, who became the most capped Springbok of all-time.

    "I want to say to my best friend Eben that I am so grateful to be on this journey with you," Kolisi said.

    "We have been together since we were 18 and you've been a true friend and you have led us in so many ways, the way you play the game.

    "I am so proud of you and pleased to be your friend. I can't wait to tell my grandkids I played with Eben Etzebeth. Cheers, my friend, I love you!"

    Having brought up that milestone, Etzebeth stated his desire to continue with the national team for as long as possible.

    He said: “Rugby is like a religion in our country, to play for the Boks is the ultimate. You cannot go any better than that and I don't want to, it's the best team.

    "Hopefully I stay fit and the coaches keep picking me. I will try my best."

    Pumas captain Julian Montoya, meanwhile, was upfront about his side’s poor performance.

    Montoya said: “Credit to South Africa, we were not good enough, they were the better team today.

    “Of course I am pleased with what we have done, but you are only as good as your last game, and we were not good enough today. We have to get better."

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