Back in the country where he helped to transform Leinster and Ireland into global powers for almost a decade, Joe Schmidt, and his Wallabies squad, appear to have had a restorative week. And a badly needed one too after their 26-19 loss to Italy last Saturday.
After the game, which was their 13th Test of the year, Schmidt admitted their performance in Udine had been “flat”, the effects of which also lingered on him.
“I take it pretty hard when we lose and I even take it pretty hard when we don’t play to our potential because that’s all we can control,” he said after announcing his team to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 8.10pm).
“Because some of these teams are so good, sometimes they’re just better than we are on the day, even though on the day we’ve delivered a good performance.
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“So yeah, it is tough and you’re emotionally connected to the job. It’s one of those privileges of being so invested in something but it’s also a blight when things don’t go well.”
Australia skipped training on Monday to “refresh” the squad before having “a really good day on Wednesday”, Schmidt said, adding: “Our friends at Portmarnock let the boys on for a hit, and they weren’t the only golf club.
“There was a couple of them where the boys managed to get themselves out there and Dublin turned on the weather for them,” Schmidt said with a wry smile, at least grateful they’d played in the morning.
A sodden pitch at Wanderers RFC also prompted a late change of venue to Blackrock on Thursday.
“Wanderers were super to us but Blackrock College, really big appreciation to them for opening up at the last minute. At 10.47pm, we made the decision last night that Wanderers was just too sodden. And Blackrock were very quick to invite us and the training pitch was first-rate.
“As a Terenure man, that was a really big favour,” Schmidt added, aware that the big D6W derby between Terenure and St Mary’s – the top two in AIL Division 1A – is taking place at Lakelands Park on Saturday, though he won’t have time to attend.
Schmidt also met former Irish team manager Mick Kearney on Wednesday. “We had some of Keith Earls’s coffee; it was real nice. There’s always a little bit of banter, and I’m catching up with Rory Best tomorrow.
“My brother [Jamie] lives in Blackrock. My son [Tim] is back living in Churchtown after a few years in Melbourne. I caught up with the family on Tuesday for a bit of dinner.
“And that’s part of the balance as well. Family is always a great distraction and opportunity to just be able to step outside the bubble you’re in, which can eat away at you a little bit, and breathe for a few hours.”
Schmidt has made six changes to his team for Saturday, with a couple more recalls on the bench, and on balance they look stronger. Carter Gordon, having made an encouraging return after a two-year segue into league, was their fifth different starting 10 of 2025 but succumbed to their outhalf curse by incurring a quad strain.
So James O’Connor, called into the squad after a holiday in Morocco and some TV punditry, is restored at outhalf, where he helped steer the Wallabies to their stunning win in Ellis Park. The brilliant Max Jorgensen and Len Ikitau are also restored at fullback and centre, as is tight head Allan Alaalatoa and hard-carrying Rob Valetini, with turnover king Carlo Tizzano back on the bench.
Noting “some really good glimpses” by Ireland this month, Schmidt added: “Not too many teams play 20 minutes without a player and they’re ahead of the All Blacks even after 60 minutes, because those 20 minutes take it out of you.”
In this he cited the effects of suffering two yellow cards against the same opponents. “You lose a bit of fuel in the tank because they’re always going to stretch you at the back end of the game.”
Schmidt was always noted for his detailed dissection of the opposition, and his knowledge of the Ireland players ensured he revisited old habits.
“Mack [Hansen] has got a really good skill set,” he said. Having gone through pretty much every player (“Jeez, Bundee still packs a punch”), Schmidt concluded: “We’re going to have to be at the very best of our game to be competitive.”
