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Six Nations statement: Tom Curry 'Tunnelgate' incident
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Time for Wallabies to ditch little brother complex against All Blacks
The Wallabies’ momentum heading into the crucial Bledisloe series took a hit against Argentina, with the pair finishing their series at one win apiece.
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Argentina are no easy beat, coach Felipe Contepomi has his side now believing they can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime.
However, for the Wallabies — losing at home in Sydney, after an unconvincing comeback in Townsville and a history-making tour of South Africa — the Argentinian leg can only be seen as a blow to their Bledisloe ambitions.
This is particularly so because of the Wallabies’ comparatively horrific penalty count in the two games in Australia.
The Wallabies, form-wise, were at their height after breaking their 62-year drought at Ellis Park in August, but as they attempt to break their Eden Park hoodoo, they appear to have lost some of their edge.
This edge refers to their confrontational mindset, which appeared in the second British and Irish Lions Test in Melbourne, when Will Skelton almost single-handedly bullied the Lions.
This fight was then emulated by the entire Wallabies’ side in the third Test in Sydney, where the Wallabies got their first and only win of the series, and aided the Wallabies in securing the most dominant victory of the series.
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Skelton, veteran halfback Nic White, Tom Hooper, Nick Frost and Angus Bell were big drivers of this “no itshay” rugby, as Skelton put it.
Against South Africa, the Wallabies did not shirt front the Springboks in Johannesburg, but rather hammered the breakdown, secured the tackles, and destabilised the Springboks’ flow.
In Cape Town, the status quo returned with the Springboks shifting to a direct, conservative, kick-dominated strategy, which was aided by an improved set piece.
This was the first sign that the Wallabies’ edge was waning, and although no side can always maintain peak focus, it was evident they weren’t in the contest in the same way as they had been in their three previous matches.
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Then came the Argentina Tests, and the trend of conceding around 20 points in the first half continued. The Wallabies were only saved by a much more aggressive mindset in defence in the Townsville Test.
Players like Len Ikitau, Billy Pollard, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, and Tom Hooper took it upon themselves to ensure the Argentinians felt every tackle in defence, at every breakdown, and this pressure eventually gave the Wallabies a window to claw themselves back into the match, eventually winning it.
The loss in Sydney in the most recent match showed a Wallabies side who were inaccurate, unable to adapt to the referee’s whistle, with the mounting penalty count being the sole reason for their demise, with the Wallabies scoring three tries to the Argies’ one.
It’s clear the Wallabies are not playing poorly, but the repeated 10-plus penalty count in back-to-back weeks is too big a blow to any team’s bid to win a highly competitive Test match, particularly when the opposition has laser-accurate kickers.
What fans should be buoyed by, however, is that the Wallabies have gained and never once lost belief in their abilities, their systems, or each other.
They’ve found a true self-belief, driven from within, and it has been felt by the tens of thousands of fans dressed in gold at the stadiums, but they must now continue to evolve this belief.
Going from the ecstasy of a resounding win over the Lions in Sydney, to the elation of the victory on the high veldt against the Springboks, to the come-from-behind win in Townsville against Los Pumas, the Wallabies are already onto their next challenge, which is perhaps the biggest challenge of them all, winning back the Bledisloe.
That bid will start in the graveyard of many foes, Eden Park, but the belief in themselves will not be enough , nor will a gutsy comeback effort do.
Like all great cauldrons in the world of rugby, a win there will require something special.
The Wallabies must rid themselves of the little brother complex when it comes to New Zealand; they must stand up to the All Blacks and show them they are in their weight class.
This will require their confrontational edge to start from the first whistle, as opposed to the 60th minute.
Many equate the injection of James O’Connor as the turning point for the Wallabies in matches, but the facts are that the Wallabies have made a habit of slower starts and strong finishes for their 2025 Tests.
In the four games O’Connor has played in, the Wallabies have conceded 22 points at Ellis Park in the first half, 20 in Cape Town, 21 in Townsville, and 19 in Sydney.
O’Connor started in South Africa and came off the bench in Australia, showing there are a myriad of factors as to why the Wallabies have been generally starting slower and finishing stronger.
So, selections alone will not save the Wallabies from continuing their Eden Park hoodoo; only a mindset shift will.
Heading into the Auckland Test, Hooper, alongside Frost, have been the best exponents of the confrontational edge Skelton first brought against the Lions, but the two forwards need the other 13 men on the field with them as well as the eight reserves to find that intent once again.
The All Blacks will be looking for swift retribution after their record loss to South Africa in Wellington, and all that pressure and frustration is set to be unleashed on the Wallabies on September 27.
The Wallabies have proven they have the wider squad, the coaching and now the self-belief to cause an upset, but to win the Bledisloe, the Wallabies must remove the All Blacks from the pedestal and make it a dog fight.
Every ruck must be a battle, every scrum a war, and every high ball hoisted must be claimed by a gold jersey.
In between the melees and skirmishes, the Wallabies must let the All Blacks know that they are in a contest, and if the All Blacks are to retain the Bledisloe at Eden Park, they will have to travel to a sold-out Optus Stadium in Perth, battered and bruised, to have a chance at winning the Rugby Championship.
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