Report card: Dire World Cup twist follows ‘catastrophic’ tour

The Wallabies have completed the 2025 season in seventh place on this planet rankings, that means they are going to be positioned in ‘band two’ for the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw on December 3 in Sydney.

Australia wanted to beat France by 16 factors or extra on Sunday (AEDT) to complete within the high six and get a extra beneficial draw.

But Les Bleus kicked away within the second half in Paris for a 48-33 win that consigned the Wallabies to their worst Spring Tour in 67 years.

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Biggest areas of concern

Finding a world class playmaker stays the most important problem for the Wallabies.

The image is now murkier than ever earlier than as Joe Schmidt’s first selection No.10, Noah Lolesio, suffered a season-ending damage after which his second decide, Tom Lynagh, was put in cotton wool after head and hamstring points.

James O’Connor, Tane Edmed and Carter Gordon had been then used with various levels of success.

O’Connor, now primarily based in England, was bizarrely out and in of the squad which was mirrored by the dearth of course on the pitch.

It shall be attention-grabbing to see how Edmed develops underneath Stephen Larkham on the ACT Brumbies subsequent season however he’s merely not Test high quality in the intervening time.

Gordon appeals as the very best wager if he can enhance his goalkicking however he must job share on the Queensland Reds subsequent season.

Australia’s work underneath the excessive ball was additionally shoddy in Europe whereas the lineout capitulated at instances.

Ex-Wallabies lock Justin Harrison was essential of the fixed chopping and altering within the ahead pack after the loss to Ireland.

“That creates instability, which creates uncertainty for hooker, which leads to a catastrophic sort of performance in that crucial set-piece time and at the telling times,” Harrison informed Stan Sport when analysing the lineout points.

Rays of hope

Gordon’s promising return from the NRL towards Italy is one ray of hope to cling onto.

Namesake Jake Gordon additionally had a powerful tour after recovering from a severe hamstring damage that sidelined him towards the British and Irish Lions.

Gordon’s return to kind has eased considerations at halfback with Nic White retired whereas Tate McDermott shall be match once more subsequent yr.

Fraser McReight bolstered his world class fetcher standing whereas it was pleasing to see Taniela Tupou get some confidence again earlier than beginning his contract with Racing 92.

The tighthead prop has reiterated his need to maintain pulling on the gold jersey each time known as upon.

Max Jorgensen had some spectacular moments together with his good solo attempt at Stade de France.

NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar stays spoilt for selection at fullback subsequent yr with Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Andrew Kellaway all reside choices.

Players who should carry to remain in World Cup rivalry

Edmed and Kellaway want sturdy Super Rugby campaigns to maintain their names in lights for the inaugural rounds of the Nations Championship in July.

We could effectively have seen the final of O’Connor in a gold jersey, given he’s now 35 and enjoying in England.

He has had a exceptional profession.

Suaalii shall be one of many first picked however that’s now extra primarily based on potential somewhat than efficiency.

He usually seemed misplaced through the tour which is vastly regarding given he starred in his first northern publicity 12 months in the past.

Rob Valetini is one other world class athlete who has dropped off in kind throughout an injury-plagued season.

The Wallabies will not win many huge video games with out these two firing.

The teaching conundrum

For those who want a refresher, Schmidt will proceed teaching the Wallabies for his or her three July dwelling Tests towards Ireland, France and Italy – all groups which have simply knocked over Australia.

Schmidt will then hand the reins over to Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss.

Wallabies legend Michael Hooper is interested by how the teaching handover from Schmidt to Kiss will work.

The pair are shut, having beforehand labored along with Ireland, and Kiss hung out with the group in Europe in a principally observational capability.

“What I’m hearing is Joe is going to stay involved but from afar,” Hooper informed Stan Sport.

“So he’s going to have oversight over it. But my concern is going forward… how is the team, how’s the coaching staff, and how is Rugby Australia going to manage this transition with the players going forward?

“Quite a lot of gamers know Les Kiss, however that is solely Queensland Reds gamers.

“So how’s all this merge going to happen, that’s my concern… my hope is that the lessons that are happening now aren’t lost, when the changeover occurs soon.”

Schmidt, whose son Luke lives in New Zealand and suffers from extreme epilepsy, stated he would step apart earlier if that is what RA needed.

“I love these guys, they are such a good group of young men, they want to do the best they can,” Schmidt stated.

“Unless somebody else can do a better job, I’m happy to step away. I was only really going to be here until the end of the Lions and then six days later, we were assembling to fly to South Africa and I understood that it was very hard for someone to come in and suddenly take over at that stage.

“And then due to the very tight window earlier than we even got here away on tour, once more, it’s extremely laborious for somebody immediately to come back in.

“And as I said before, I absolutely admire this group of young men who are trying really hard. So if there’s a sense that somebody else can come in and do a better job, that’s certainly not for me to say.

“I’ll simply play golf a bit sooner, and I’ll be dissatisfied as a result of I feel these guys are working actually laborious, and I feel they’ll proceed to mature.”

Confirmed Rugby World Cup draw bands

Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina

Band 2: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan

Band 3: Georgia, Spain, Uruguay, USA, Chile, Tonga

Band 4: Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Zimbabwe, Canada