Wallabies assistant coach explains rugby union's global edge over league

Wallabies assistant coach Tom Donnelly believes the global reach of rugby union sets it apart from rugby league, as Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium prepares to host two marquee sporting events in the coming days.

State of Origin recently shared a graphic that described the upcoming series decider “the most anticipated game of all time” between Queensland and New South Wales, with this year’s champions to be crowned on Wednesday.

It’s one of the major events at ‘Lang Park’ this week, with the Wallabies taking on Six Nations winners France on Saturday evening. This follows the Wallabies’ clash with Ireland in Sydney, which was played in front of a record Allianz Stadium crowd.

The Wallabies fell just shy of a drought-breaking win against Ireland, losing 31-33 in a thriller that had seven lead changes. But the Aussies have a chance to bounce back in their second of three Nations Championship Tests on home soil this July.

“League’s a great sport and it’s massive here but it’s not very big in France, where rugby is on the world stage,” Donnelly told reporters.

“We get to perform on a world stage now versus league which is massive here, massive in New Zealand but the rest of the world it’s probably, rugby dwarfs it.”

There’s plenty of buzz about the Origin decider, but the same can be said about the Wallabies, as the national side continues to charge towards Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 at home in about 15 months’ time.

The Wallabies played in front of an electric crowd in Sydney, with seas of green and Irish gold swallowing up the venue. They have since made their way up to Brisbane, and will jet off to Perth for a clash with Italy next.

Australia is hosting six men’s Test matches throughout the year ahead, including a clash with Eddie Jones’ Japan in Townsville. The Wallabies will later take on two-time defending Rugby World Cup winners the Springboks in Perth and the All Blacks in Sydney.

“When the World Cup rolls around next year, it’s going to be an exciting time for the country, exciting time for us,” Donnelly said.

“We saw on the weekend that in periods of the game we can certainly match it with the world’s best but to beat those world’s best teams, just to be more accurate.

“Missed a few opportunities, probably a bit of ill-discipline in the second half and that’s what you can’t be if you want to beat the world’s best.”

Ireland have now won their last six against the Wallabies, but the Aussies showed some positive signs even in defeat last weekend. Dylan Pietsch and Jock Campbell touched down for early tries, before Josh Canham and Ryan Lonergan got on the scoresheet.

Tate McDermott’s try during the second half had them in the box seat, but Ireland’s Thomas Clarkson hit back with less than three minutes left. The Wallabies still had a chance to win it, but a Ben Donaldson penalty sailed wide of the sticks.

“He’s got those kicks in him and they weren’t there tonight but we’re going to keep backing those guys,” Schmidt explained post-game in Sydney.

“We missed a couple of kicks early in the game as well so that’s the nature of it. We scored very wide in the very first try of the game so that was a missed kick even then and when it’s only a two-point ball game, they can be costly.

“The players got around Dono straight away.”