The Wallabies’ performance against Scotland was very disappointing.
Before the tour began I highlighted that Joe Schmidt would be focused on performances. Results are a bye product of performances. If each Wallaby does their job, pound for pound, when they look up at the scoreboard at the 80th minute, they should be ahead.
That’s not what happened against Scotland.
Here is the team that I’m backing to start in Australia’s final game of the season.
Front row: Angus Bell, Matt Faessler, Zane Nonggorr
I’m not sure anyone in this squad deserves their holiday as much as Angus Bell. Rushed into the team from injury, played an incredible 70 minutes versus England, picked again to start against Wales and squared up to Zander Fagerson for 51 minutes.
He can’t rack up as many metres every weekend like he did against England, but when Australia need time to reset during their phase play, Bell is there to truck it up. Matt Faessler if fit is a no-brainer. Brandon Paenga Amosa is building but Faessler was missed in Murrayfield.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
I’m backing Zane Nonggorr to stop. I think Allan Alaalatoa had an ok game against Scotland but he looked tired. Andrew Porter is drawing penalties at scrum time at a rate of knots, around the park too. He hasn’t dealt with out and out size well, in the eyes of the referee anyway.
Porter has the power to cause problems but so does Nonggorr and his work in attack could add another layer to this Wallabies attack.
I’m also backing Tupou to be sprung from the bench to attack a tiring Porter in the final stages. Ireland’s second-half performances November have been poor and if Tupou can come on and win penalties in the closing stages, he’ll be worth his weight in gold.
Second row: Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams
I don’t want to just say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it but…
Frost and Williams looked like a complete pairing versus England, with their athleticism coming to the fore. Will Skelton was one of the best against Scotland and if he was picked to start I could sleep soundly. I really liked Australia’s use of the choke tackle against the Scots and Skelton was essential to that.
The likes of Josh van der Flier, James Ryan, Joe McCarthy and Tadgh Beirne can all be guilty of being upright in contact and if Schmidt isn’t going to go with Williams, then Skelton has to rack up the choke tackles.
Frost isn’t just a lightweight athletic second rower, his intelligence and game awareness is excellent and he buys Noah Lolesio invaluable seconds to organise the attack while he picks and goes. Ireland play at pace and I think after Leinster have dealt with Skelton so well in their previous two meets versus La Rochelle, I’d back Williams to start alongside Frost.
Back row: Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson
Australia need Fraser McReight and they need him right now. He has such a huge task in front of him but he’s the piece that makes the back row work.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
I like Carlo Tizzano but he’s a defensive player, I wouldn’t say reactionary player but Fraser is most definitely proactive. His combination with his fellow Reds players is invaluable and he reads the flow of the game so well. After booting the ball the length of the field and chasing it to secure the ruck, I couldn’t believe my eyes to see him coming off the field.
But looking back at his minutes this year, I couldn’t believe he was still on the field. Twenty-eight games in 2024, averaging 74 minutes, the Brumbies back rower has well and truly earned his John Eales Medal.
Valetini is so important for this Wallabies side and his one-two power punch with Harry Wilson is going to be vital to getting Australia any kind of front foot ball against the Irish.
This Irish back row is another incredible test to really measure where Australia’s back row ranks in the international game. They came off second best against Scotland, they cannot afford to come off second best again this weekend.
Looking forward to an absolute cracker under the lights at Aviva Stadium. As an Irishman now living in Perth, I’ve loved tracking the Wallabies’ progress this year under Schmidt.
He took Irish rugby to a whole new level and I know the Irish will give him the credit he deserves throughout the week. So if you’re still reeling a little from the defeat to Scotland, pay attention during the build-up to this game and take some confidence in the impression Joe Schmidt has left in his last top job.
