Newcastle – The Wallabies are ongoing in 2025, but their final Gasp victory over Fiji in Newcastle sent almost a ditch through the Lions camps in England and Ireland.
Australia escaped McDonald Jones Stadium with a 21-18 victory, but skipper Harry Wilson dragged his team into the victory through pure determination.
It was appropriate that Wilson was the one who would win the Hunter’s host on the Hunter’s line when a nine-point half-time advantage brought about a catastrophic decommissioned defeat.
Simply put, they have to be miles to plague the Lions. The Lions are taken away enough from Fiji’s inspirational late performances when they overwhelm Australia from the middle of the paddock, and mostly help them repeat the Rugby World Cup heroes for two years.
“There are probably countless things,” Schmidt replied when asked if he would now keep him during his first Test against the Lions. “We didn’t feel like we were paid for Scrum. We thought Scrum was really good. Like I said, we didn’t get that reward for the lineout, but they’re what we’re really working hard.
“Obviously, we were pulled back for two forward passes, but that’s about skill execution that we think we need to be responsible and be more accurate. Putting these four things together, we’re already in a much stronger position, at least in terms of controlling the outcome.”
rest assured. Teams heading to the Pacific at next year’s Nations Championship will pick up the Almighty Battle. Fiji’s combination of power, counter attacks and improved set pieces was the basis for France’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals, which was also their first hit in 2025, but they were a great late team for Newcastle. They also did it after two full training sessions.
In fact, if there hadn’t been TMO intervention touching Harry Potter’s feet, it would have moved at least 20-14 ahead after a great play from replacement Sireli Makara on both sides of the ball. I first broke down under my stick, then broke down, then, after a few minutes after the bad luck of the ugly wallaby, finished finishing and stretching the triline.
However, the Wallabies finished a three-point winner on a gorgeous winter afternoon at Newcastle. Australia showed a lot of first half effort, but kicked too much offensive ball and two tries were scrubbed for a forward pass from Tom Wright.
The first of them was the line ball, but the second would have taken them at least 19-5 following a sprint to Max Jorgensen’s bounce ball. It took the four officials so long to control it that they were bewildered, and as a result the crowd was rightly furious.
The game came to life after the first half of the stop start dominated by the technical whis of French referee Pierre Blouseset. Visitors became bold as their Powerball carriers began to leave marks in Australia and were hit by increasingly fragmented contests.
The Wallabies previously showed no sufficient patience to hold the ball in hand, and instead had to reset, and were inaccurate inside the Physian 22 as they went to the boots when they slaughtered the opportunity for lineout drive with bent throws and blockages. Given that Hooker Dave Polekki opened up a score in the very fashion nine minutes later, Fiji probably fought from close range, knowing he could not contain the eight-man drive for the Wallabies.
“Yeah, I think so,” Schmidt said when asked if his part needed more first half patience. “And that’s probably part of the frustration, especially in the first half of that, I just got control of a lot of the game.
“In the second half, we were chasing a lot of time, so we really didn’t have the same opportunity, but we know that the game will fade and flow.
Polecchi’s attempt was the only point that Australia could call up until just before the break. That should have been enough to send the Wallabies to the goods 14-0.
However, the brainless midfield tip from Lolesio just 10 seconds before the hooter was scooped up by the Fijians and after some smart passes and footwork, fullback Salesi Rayasi passed through three defenders and secured five points for Fiji when he deserved just 50 points from half of the 50 to secure five points for Fiji.
But the second 40 was a different story. The Fijians were undoubtedly encouraged by Rayashi’s score and began to control both their possession and territory.
They were supported in advance at the speed of recycling as Viliame Mata, Elia Canakaivata and Lekima Tagitagivalu began to leave traces in the Wallabies’ defense.
It was Tagitagivalu who grabbed his second try after Muntz reduced the gap to six points on a penalty.
Australia went beyond that and worked defensively. They also lost Lolesio and to hit the head of sales, which led to a Maqaqa Try that was not allowed. However, they were able to reject the Fijians from what could be a match seal attempt.
Still, three minutes later another Muntz penalty took the visitors to 18-14, and it seemed they had done enough when the clock fell off before the Wallabee penalty took them into the red zone.
Enter Wilson. Wilson runs through two Fijian defenders, hits, spins and forces them, then eventually grazes the grass with the ball and gets a third attempt from the Wallabies out of prison.
However, performance was not the standard required to defeat the lion. In fact, based on their efforts in Newcastle, it must be said that at this stage a 3-0 series sweep for tourists is likely.
Luckily, Australia would have now spent two weeks cleaning up the error that defeated them in the first half of Newcastle, and could have led Game Smart with some Game Smart with better execution and more patience and easily lead over 20 points on breaks.
The Fijians were in the second stanza, and such leads would have been a powerful mountain to shrink.
Players will also be returning to Australia, especially Skeleton and Rob Barrecini. John Ires’ two-time medalist was awfully overlooked in Hunter, especially. The Wallabies’ ball carrier only gets a gain line on strange occasions. Aside from a few neat passes, star recruit Joseph Oakso Suaari was a non-factor, and he felt the full defensive power of opposition midfielders Josua Tuisova and Iosepho Masi on multiple occasions
Certainly Australia has stretched Fiji to the edge. But when both Potter and Max Jorgensen were dangerous and were asked to get the ball too often, they went to boots too often.
And that’s exactly what Wilson did when he died.
If Schmidt learned anything today, it was that gun-raised No. 8 is the right man to lead Australia. Wilson will lead from the front and Australia will need it more in Brisbane in two weeks.
Schmidt has several other issues he faces, but it could be a key decision, especially at No. 10.
Ben Donaldson leaves the bench in Newcastle and Schmidt has Tom Linag preserved, but it would have been time to call either Bernard Foley or James O’Connor for insurance purposes at least.
But Schmidt once again reaffirmed his mantra of sticking to his existing playmaking trio.
“We obviously haven’t selected the Lions team. This is the game we sat before, and we’ll sit down and look at our options,” Schmidt said. “But when we look at what Ben Donaldson has done, we don’t know if he’s not doing exactly what he needs to be. He puts us in the corner and does what it takes to make sure we’re in the game for the last time, and completes the game.
“Yeah, I don’t think we’ve been together for six months. I hope that five training sessions and getting seamless is something I’d hoped would happen soon.
Kiwis can waste most of their time making decisions regardless.
There will be only 13 days before Wallaby meets the Lions at Suncorp Stadium – and now it’s a tourist worthy of an overwhelming favorite.