Joe Schmidt's Wallabies tenure ends where few imagined it would — in Perth, against Italy, with a caretaker's plea to leave things tidy. The New Zealander takes charge for the final time on Saturday at HBF Park before Les Kiss inherits the job, and he does so under the weight of six straight defeats.
The latest, a 42-26 hammering by France in Brisbane, was Australia's ninth loss in 10 Tests and left Schmidt searching for perspective. "It's hard at the moment to rationalise the positives, and I know there were some," he said. "But to galvanise that we have to get results, and I feel that acutely."
The outgoing coach was blunt about how he wants to bow out. "My time's nearly finished and I just want to leave the house in good order," Schmidt said. "When things don't go our way we've got to get some traction."
He has resisted wholesale change. Cairns product Declan Meredith, handed a debut at fly-half against France, retains the No 10 jersey for the Italy Test — a vote of confidence in a position that has churned through playmakers all campaign. Meredith took the lessons of a chastening night on board. "If I get another opportunity I'd want to deliver more," he said. "Definitely a few lessons learnt, but keen to get back on the horse."
Injuries have again reshaped the squad. Ben Donaldson is racing the clock with a calf strain, and Schmidt is unwilling to gamble. "We should know by Tuesday when he trains — if he can train fully, then he's obviously available." Carter Gordon (calf), Tom Hooper (shoulder) and Hunter Paisley (knee) did not travel west, opening the door for back-rower Joe Brial and centre Isaac Henry, with Force recruit Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also called in.
Captain Harry Wilson has been adamant the group will not settle for gallant defeats, with a home World Cup on the horizon. "We know we need to win. We had a few good moments, but that's not good enough, we have to start icing them," Wilson said. "We're definitely bothered by it; we're here to win and no team can sit there and say we're happy with being close and improving."
Wilson has been struck by how the young Meredith has handled the spotlight. "This week, it's been a massive week for him ... but he's just been switched on. He seems very level-headed and he's excited. We back him, we believe in him."
Schmidt leaves with a record of 11 wins from 30 Tests, a return that will not define a coaching career built at Leinster and Ireland. A win over the Azzurri in Perth would at least let him hand over the keys with the house, as he put it, in good order.
