Joe Schmidt says he wants to “leave the house in good order” as he prepares to bring his Wallabies tenure to an end.
Next weekend’s Nations Championship clash against Italy in Perth will be his last Test in charge of the Australian side.
Schmidt took charge of the Wallabies in March 2024 following their disastrous 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, where they failed to progress beyond the pool stage for the first time in their history.
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While the Wallabies made an encouraging start under the former Ireland coach with victories over Wales and Georgia, the turnaround many had hoped for has not materialised.
Australia have won 11 of their 30 Tests under Schmidt and head into his final match in charge having lost nine of their last 10 internationals.
Reds coach Les Kiss will take over after the Italy Test.
Reflecting on his time in charge, Schmidt said his priority was to leave the national team in a healthier position than when he arrived.
“My time’s nearly finished and I just want to leave the house in good order,” he said.
“And I know these players are trying really hard to keep building on what they have.
“It’s hard at the moment to rationalise the positives and I know there were some.”
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Despite Australia’s recent struggles, Schmidt believes progress has been made.
The Wallabies claimed notable away victories over South Africa and England during his tenure, and held half-time leads over both Ireland and France in their opening two Nations Championship matches before fading after the break.
They were 21-12 ahead against France in Brisbane on Saturday before the Six Nations champions rallied to secure a 42-26 victory.
“You don’t take jobs like this to come second,” Schmidt said.
“Internally, I’m incredibly competitive and I just want these guys to get a little bit of reward for the effort they’re making.
“I see them working hard and I know their intent is really, really positive.
“But when things don’t go our way, we’ve got to be able to get some traction in the game.”
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Asked how he hoped to be remembered, Schmidt pointed to the foundations he believes have been laid for the future.
“Probably for building a base of players that have a sense of belief about how they can put a game together,” he said.
“Have a sense of connection about how they play the game, and then they have a set of skills that allows them to play in that manner and a commitment to doing that for each other.”
– AFP
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
The post Schmidt opens up before Wallabies exit appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Joe Schmidt says he wants to “leave the house in good order” as he prepares to bring his Wallabies tenure to an end.
The post Schmidt opens up before Wallabies exit appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
