Wallabies Eye Lions Series as Australia Rebuilds Under Waugh and Schmidt

Despite Australia’s historic 67-27 loss to Argentina, Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh insists the Wallabies are making progress and will offer serious competition to the British and Irish Lions when they tour Down Under next summer. The Wallabies’ defeat in Santa Fe, their heaviest in 125 years, came after a string of poor performances, including a pool-stage exit at last year’s Rugby World Cup.

But Waugh, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, urged patience with the national team, stressing that improvements are being made under new head coach Joe Schmidt. “You can see the progress is there,” said Waugh. “It is not nearly where we need it to be, but if we keep progressing at the speed with which we have moved things in the last six months, then there is plenty of time.”

Waugh downplayed the significance of the headline-grabbing defeat to Argentina, highlighting the positives from the first half, where Australia held a 20-3 lead before falling apart in the second half. “It is a team that is re-setting... and it takes experiences in big moments to get better,” he explained, noting that the Wallabies are still in a rebuilding phase. “The enormity of the scoreline in that second half was disappointing, but... we are not the most experienced team in world rugby.”

Schmidt, who took over six months ago, is tasked with reviving a side that has struggled for consistency, managing just one win from four games in this year’s Rugby Championship. Their sole victory also came against Argentina, but their competitiveness in the first half against world champions South Africa, where they trailed by just two points before losing 30-12, hints at the potential within the squad.

Waugh is confident that by the time the Lions arrive in June 2025, the Wallabies will have built enough cohesion and experience to be serious contenders. Their Rugby Championship campaign concludes with back-to-back matches against New Zealand in late September before facing a Northern Hemisphere tour in the autumn, with Tests against England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

One intriguing element of the Wallabies' autumn tour will be the involvement of Joseph Suaalii. The 21-year-old Sydney Roosters star, who has switched codes in a $5m AUD (£2.6m) deal, is expected to join the Wallabies despite having no senior rugby union experience. The former schoolboy dual-code player admitted uncertainty over his role but expressed confidence in adapting to the 15-man game. “Footy is footy. It’s a footy ball at the end of the day. It’s just about playing,” said Suaalii.

Australia’s rebuilding phase continues, but Waugh and Schmidt are optimistic that with the addition of players like Suaalii and the lessons learned from tough recent losses, the Wallabies will be ready to challenge the British and Irish Lions next year.

Upcoming Matches:

• Rugby Championship: New Zealand (21 and 28 September)
• Autumn Tour: England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland

The Lions series promises to be a key milestone for a team still searching for its best form, but with time to build.