New coach Joe Schmidt is warning it will take time for the Wallabies’ scars to bounce back after the Wallabies’ World Cup exit.
The former Ireland coach who was unveiled at a press conference in Sydney on Friday after agreeing to a two-year deal with Rugby Australia said the Wallabies’ showings at last year’s World Cup were not reflective of “an Australian team that I recognised” as he sought to temper expectations of an overnight fix.
Australia failed to get out of the group stage for the first time in the World Cup history and Schmidt is hoping that acts as a point of motivation as he bids to revive a side now ranked ninth in the world.
“I’d like to think that they’ll emerge with an experience that they are desperate not to repeat,” Schmidt told Rugby.com.au
“They’ll work hard towards getting that cohesion amongst themselves. That’s a really important thing, continuity in selection and performance and the only thing I’d ask is sometimes you’ve got to be patient.
“We are going to have some players who will have been put on the back foot by that and if we can grow through the Welsh games and then I know how tough the Rugby Championship is. I’ve worked my way through the last couple and they have been really competitive.
“What we’ve got in front of us is really challenging and I’m excited about trying to help those young guys build their confidence and the repeatability of really positive performances.”
Meanwhile, Wallabies players have thrown their support behind Schmidt as they look to rebound from a tough season.
Schmidt is credited as the main driver behind Ireland’s success in the 2010s, with centre Lalakai Foketi hopeful he can have a similar impact.
“It’s great news for Australian Rugby,” Foketi said.
“To be honest, I haven’t really looked too much into it. We’re training hard here and I’m a big believer, and I’ve said this before, if you do the right things on the field and through your Rugby, then you get to have those conversations with those kinds of people.
“The boys were talking before about his history and what he’s done for Rugby in Ireland and he was with the All Blacks when they made the final in the World Cup.
“It’s great. I think this year is a massive change for Rugby in Australia. Everyone’s excited and it gives everyone a fresh start as well so that’s all we’ve really been talking about.”
“It’s good to have someone with that success and I wish him all the best to bring that to us here in Rugby,” winger Mark Nawaqanitawase added.
“Hopefully he can help us change some things and be a bit more successful. We need to start with wins, especially against those Kiwis side and then hopefully all the Aussie sides are cracking and ready to take on the Kiwis and take it into the Test season.
