The Wallabies are having their worst run since 1969. This is what Joe Schmidt really thinks about it

July 12, 2026 — 3:00am

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At the 30-minute mark of the Wallabies’ Test against France in Brisbane, incoming Australian coach Les Kiss appeared on the big screen at Suncorp Stadium.

He wasn’t wearing a Wallabies tie. He wasn’t in the coaches’ box shadowing incumbent Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt.

Kiss was just another observer in the stands, twiddling his thumbs until he officially takes over as head coach for a Test in four weeks’ time against Eddie Jones’ Japan on August 8 in Osaka.

After another painful defeat, there is a legitimate case for Rugby Australia to ditch their carefully planned transition, starting with Australia’s Test against Italy in Perth next week, which is Schmidt’s official send-off.

The final chapter of the Schmidt era is fading badly, and the transition can’t come quickly enough with a home World Cup 15 months away.

Despite flashes of promise, Australia have lost nine of their past 10 Tests and six on the trot. When has that ever been acceptable for the Australian rugby public?

Their only victory in that stretch was a four-point win over Japan, hardly one of world rugby’s heavyweights. Wallabies coaches have been sacked for less.

Last year, the Wallabies also became the first Australian side in 67 years to lose every match on an end-of-year tour of Europe.

As it stands, this is the worst 10-game run from a........

© WA Today