Fifteen (more) reasons you should be loving the Wallabies

It is possible to quiet a South African

It wasn’t quite perfect silence, but it was as close as you’d get in a venue with more than 50,000 stunned spectators. In the last 10 minutes of the Wallabies’ win over the Springboks, as it became clear the visitors were about to take home the win, the usually chaotic din at Ellis Park died off and all that could be heard was a low buzzing hum.

Individual player voices could even be heard on the player mics. It was the same muted sound heard at Twickenham after Max Jorgensen scored last year: not silence, but pretty close to perfect.

The Lions series was a legit contest … and a lost opportunity

It may have only been the Australian diehards awake in the kebab-zone hours of last Sunday morning, but there was a massive global audience for the Wallabies-Boks contest, particularly in Britain and Ireland.

They were looking for the definitive gauge of the quality of the Lions’ 2-1 series win over the Wallabies, by seeing how Australia would measure up against the world No.1 Springboks. The Home Nations got their answer, and if it was even in doubt, Australia banked another Lions tour.

But the Ellis Park win also served as a reminder the Lions were lucky to squeak home – with the Wallabies a game short in their preparation. Based on the progress in five Tests this year, Sydney could have been the Wallabies’ second Test form, and the Ellis Park effort could have been a triumph in the decider.

Some interpreted Andy Farrell’s praise for the Wallabies being a “hell of a team” and a “force to be reckoned with” as a cynical deflection away from his team losing the third Test. Maybe some of it was, but it was also pretty spot on.

Consistency is key

It got a bit lost in the confusion of James O’Connor’s selection – and a reshuffling bench – but the value of selection consistency by Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was clear in the Boks’ upset. Schmidt named the same starting side from Sydney, bar one, and mostly the same bench, too.

The last time Schmidt named just one change in the starting XV? The team that ran on against England at Twickenham last year.

It takes some luck with injuries, but cohesion and consistency haven’t been a strong point of the Wallabies in recent years, with lots of tinkering from lots of coaches. But when looking at World Cup-winning sides, fielding most of the same team over a number of preceding years is always a common trait.

Don’t rush veterans out the door

The contributions of Nic White recently, with gritty defence and pressure kicking, show the value of time in the Test saddle. It simply can’t be faked. And even after years in the wilderness, and a patchy start, James O’Connor’s muscle memory had him pulling all the right levers in the second half, when every bad decision can concede territory and points. Longer-term No.23 anyone?

We can be quick in rugby to search for the next young thing, rising up the ladder. But mostly, when it comes to Test rugby, the proven old thing is way more valuable.

Leadership is about action

Harry Wilson is not the most naturally athletic footballer, and that was his downfall in the eyes of Wallabies coaches before Joe Schmidt. Dave Rennie had him in and out of the Wallabies, and Eddie Jones just had him out.

But Schmidt has figured out that there have not been many more passionate Wallabies ever, than Wilson, and his choice as captain has materially improved the side. He lifts as a leader, and the Wallabies take their emotional cues from the skipper. If you are looking for answers about why the Wallabies “have no quit in them”, as Michael Hooper said, look no further than the example set by the captain.

Jorgensen is a freak

At what point do we stop being surprised by the stuff “Mild Max” can do on a rugby field? In yet another superb Test performance – coming after a superb spring tour and a super Lions series – Jorgensen scored a crucial try with his trademark side-swerve that regularly embarrasses teammates at training.

But his gritty defence shone just as much at Ellis Park. Even with forwards down his channel, Jorgensen stood his ground all night.

Rank improvement

The win over the Springboks may help the Wallabies go deep at the 2027 World Cup, and not just boost belief. It also boosted the Wallabies’ world ranking in a major way, with the 16-point win harvesting three valuable ranking points.

The Wallabies need to finish the year in the top six to get a top seeding for their home World Cup. That way, you avoid having one of the very big boys in your pool, and likely avoid major teams in the early finals, too.

The Wallabies are still ranked sixth, but the win over the Boks turned a narrow margin ahead of Argentina into a big buffer. And get this – if the Wallabies beat SA again by the same margin, they can even leapfrog the Boks into third this weekend.

Nick Frost is world-class

The giant Brumby was demoted on the spring tour last year because the Wallabies coaches wanted more edge and physicality from him. Frost has vastly improved his contact strength, and a thumping one-on-one shot on Eben Etzebeth in the second half spoke volumes.

Throw in the fact Frost is arguably the best lineout forward in the game, and the 206cm giant is shaping as a vital World Cup weapon.

Schmidt is a mind-gamer

It was a historic win, but it didn’t stop Schmidt going hard on the mind games straight after the Wallabies win, saying he felt the team had been lucky and the scoreboard didn’t reflect the contest against a Boks side who’ll be fired up next week in Cape Town.

It would be interesting to hear if the language used in the dressing rooms was the same. You’d doubt it.

Hot takes may burn

There was no shortage of pundits and columnists keeping a low profile on Sunday, or audibly beeping as they swiftly reversed their views. Scepticism about a Wallabies win was understandable, but the scalding hot take of one RugbyPass columnist – titled The Wallabies have no chance against the Springboks – ended up particularly egg-on-facey.

“Let’s be honest: if the Springboks don’t pulverise the Wallabies at Ellis Park, it’s a major upset. Ellis Park doesn’t deal in fairy tales. The altitude is unforgiving, the Boks are unrelenting, and history is unyielding. This is the double world champions against the sixth-best team in the world. How good are the Wallabies? We’re about to find out. Keep an ear out for the audible thunk as they come back down to earth.”

We heard a thunk, all right.

Are the Wallabies hoodoo gurus?

This Wallabies side is quietly ticking off some hoodoos and records. The win at Twickenham was the first against England there since 2016, the Wales win was a record, and victory over the Lions at Accor was the first win at Sydney Olympic Park in a decade. The win in Newcastle was a first, too.

The breakthrough win at Ellis Park means the longest drought at a regular venue is Eden Park, at 39 years. The Wallabies play the All Blacks at Eden Park next month.

That is all. Just leaving it there.

Fraser McReight is the world’s best No.7

As far as a pure openside fetcher goes, it’s hard to find anyone as good in the world game as Fraser McReight. His performance against the Boks continued a remarkable tradition of No.7s in gold, and his name sits comfortably with Poidevin, Wilson, Waugh, Smith, Pocock and Hooper.

Discipline is key

As recently as three years ago, the Wallabies’ discipline was the worst of any tier-one nation. They routinely conceded 12-13 penalties a game and lost at least one man to the sin bin each game.

It pointed to a team that struggled for belief and was more often on the back foot than the front. That has changed dramatically under Schmidt and his obsession with strong fundamentals, particularly in the carry-clean. The Wallabies conceded just four penalties at Ellis Park, and have gone seven straight Tests without a card; the longest since 2017.

Depth is developing

The Wallabies’ depth has been a problem in recent years, but it is worth noting Schmidt’s side claimed back-to-back wins against the British and Irish Lions and the Springboks without star forwards Rob Valetini and Allan Alaalatoa, their first two choices for the No.10 jersey and the first-choice No.9. And with a couple of hookers missing as well.

Giteau law demise timely

The recent strong form of Tom Hooper, Taniela Tupou and Langi Gleeson – who are all heading overseas at the end of 2025 – has shown there is wisdom in discarding a hard-and-fast mentality around the Giteau law, and overseas-bound players in general.

Hooper and Gleeson were not involved in the first Wallabies camp this year, but both have grown incredibly this season and need to be involved in the Test squad as often as possible through to 2027.