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AAP
AAP
Sport
Darren Walton

No excuses: coach says Wallabies are a work in progress

Joe Schmidt Wallabies James OConnor Australia Dave Hunt World Cup Rugby Italy

Beleaguered coach Joe Schmidt is challenging his charges to show some resilience as the Wallabies limp towards the finish of a gruelling and tumultuous 2025 campaign.

With hopes of an all-important top-six seeding for the 2027 Rugby World Cup now seemingly in tatters, Australia head to Ireland to face Schmidt's former European heavyweights on Saturday off the back of another dispiriting loss to Italy.

While one defeat to the Azzurri was once considered unfathomable, the reality is the Wallabies have now lost two straight Tests against them and, at No.7 in the world, Schmidt's side are ranked just three spots above the 2025 Six Nations tournament's second-bottom side.  

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