The Wallabies won’t get what they need to win a Rugby World Cup from the NRL next year.
Based on evidence of the past two weeks, it would be difficult to argue the Wallabies are better now than they were in 2022.
The World Cup windfall must go towards the game’s future, and not the current crop of Wallabies – no matter what the Rugby Union Players Association says.
Former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s imprint was all over the All Blacks’ performance in the Bledisloe Cup opener.
It’s on again. Australia arrive at Eden Park full of confidence, aiming to end their curse at the famous ground under new coach Les Kiss.
Beating the All Blacks would provide a boost for World Cup confidence, so Australia may be wiser to target the second Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney.
Simulation hasn’t crept into rugby, it’s been invited through the front door. Four yellow cards for the Wallabies against South Africa and a four-game ban for Hunter Paisami is madness.
The strength in depth of South African rugby can be seen again by the quality of their replacements, and Les Kiss’ side will need to be at their very best to stand a chance in Sunday’s Test.
The back-to-back world champions will provide Les Kiss’ toughest test since he took charge of the Wallabies.
Behind the recent rapprochement between the trans-Tasman rivals lie huge financial challenges for the game on either side of the ditch that are better tackled together than individually.
