‘Evolution not revolution’: Wallabies assistant coach reveals key difference

Assistant coach Jonny Fisher is eager to see how the Wallabies react when opposing sides have the ball, identifying defence as one area that will look different under the national team’s new management group. 

It’s the dawn of a new era for the Wallabies, who assembled in Sydney this week ahead of a two-Test series against Japan. Fisher is part of Australia’s new coaching group, with Les Kiss leading the charge after taking over from Joe Schmidt. 

Kiss has reaffirmed multiple times that this isn’t a complete reset for the Wallabies, but rather a continuation of the growth made during Schmidt’s time in charge. Schmidt bowed out with a 57-10 win over Italy, which followed tough defeats to Six Nations giants Ireland and France. 

Scott McLeod, Tom Donnelly, Eoin Toolan, John Ulugia and Fisher make up the coaching staff now working under Kiss, who has signed on in the top job through Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 and until the end of 2028. 

“One thing that Kissy has been pretty clear with the group on is this evolution not revolution. I would like to think that you’ll see consistency with aspects of the game that you’ve seen previously,” Fisher told reporters in Sydney. 

“One thing which will be different certainly will be the way in which we defend and it’s been pretty exciting for me to be alongside Scott McLeod over the last three, four weeks or so with the experience that he has. 

“I’m excited about how this team will look when the opposition has the ball.” 

The Wallabies started their 2026 international season with a nail-biting two-point defeat to Ireland in Sydney, with fly-half Ben Donaldson missing a match-winning penalty attempt, with a record-breaking Allianz Stadium crowd watching on. 

But the men in gold had shown some promising signs throughout their Nations Championship opener, with Dylan Pietsch and Jock Campbell touching down for early tries. Ryan Lonergan and Josh Canham also got on the scoresheet during a clinical first term. 

Ireland fought their way back and took the lead in the dying stages. The Wallabies’ second-half performance became a talking point, and it was again a topic of discussion after a 42-26 loss to France a week later. 

The Wallabies had led that Test at the break, but Les Bleus went on a point-scoring blitz during the second term. It saw the Aussies drop to a 0-2 start to the season, before bouncing back in style with a 47-point triumph over Italy. 

“Consistency clearly,” Fisher said, when asked to pinpoint an area of focus for the team’s new management group. But these coaches, led by Kiss, all remain focused on their specific roles ahead of a clash with Japan in just over a week. 

“I think the team’s shown repeatedly over the course of the last few years that they have the capacity to win and win in a way which is consistent with Wallaby rugby,” Fisher explained. 

“To be specific… my responsibility will be really to bring the very best out of the forwards from an attacking perspective, to make sure that when we get those very brief and limited opportunities that you do get and only get in Test rugby, that we take the space immediately. 

“Some of the forwards, or the vast majority of the forwards we have really, have a very strong skill set there as attackers with how they carry, their short passing game. Really, I’ve got to help those guys do their very best job to create and keep the space for the speedsters.”