SYDNEY :Australia coach Joe Schmidt is confident the Wallabies will be competitive against the British & Irish Lions later this year even if he does not yet know who his captain will be for the series.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Schmidt confirmed he had extended his reign as coach and would be staying in the role until he is succeeded by Les Kiss in July 2026.
Having laid to bed the succession plan, the New Zealander turned his thoughts to the huge challenge that awaits in the three tests against the Lions in July and August.
“How confident are we of success against the Lions? I’m confident that we can be competitive and … if we can be within a score of the Lions and there’s five to go, then we’re a chance,” he told reporters.
“We’ve got to give ourselves that chance by being really good in our performance behaviours.”
Schmidt famously eschews predictions but he was encouraged in his conviction that Australia would be competitive by the last-gasp victory over England and a narrow loss to Ireland on the season-ending tour of Europe last year.
“I know it didn’t work out against Ireland, but against England (it did),” he said.
“You’re talking about the number two team in the world and a team that will rank well above us … our challenge is to keep working our way up those rankings this year by being competitive.
“I don’t think we want to get distracted by outcomes. We want to be really process-driven. And I know that’s boring, but Les is of the same ilk, so you’re going to get the same thing for the next few years as well.”
Schmidt said this season he would continue to prioritise players who have committed their future to Australian rugby in his selections.
That could put a question mark over the inclusion for the Lions series of flyhalf Noah Lolesio as well as loose forwards Tom Hooper, Langi Gleeson and Rob Leota – all of whom will move abroad at the end of the season.
“Clarity is that we’ll prioritise them, but clarity is also that nobody is out of the mix,” Schmidt said.
“And so if there is someone (who) is clearly outplaying his opponents, as far as selection is concerned for the squad … then we know how tough the Lions are going to be.
“We know how deep they’re going to go in really experienced, athletic and combative players. So we know that we’re going to have to have, as close as we can, the best group to compete against those guys.”
In his year in charge, Schmidt has awarded the captaincy to flanker Liam Wright, props Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper, and most recently number eight Harry Wilson, who led the team in seven of the last eight matches of 2024.
Schmidt was still unclear who would lead the Wallabies against the Lions, however.
“It’s a really good question, and it’s unfortunately one that I don’t have an answer for,” he said.
“I felt Harry finished strongly, and I felt the others did a good job when they when they were in the breach. I guess we’ll try to get our selection right first, and then narrow to that pinpoint positions of leadership and captaincy.”
