Wallabies hoping Ireland clash lights the fuse for Schmidt’s farewell tour

Outgoing coach will soon give way to Les Kiss but the Sydney match plus tests against France and Italy will establish World Cup credentials With a football World Cup already at fever pitch and a State of Origin decider just days away, this weekend’s Test between Australia and Ireland in Sydney has Rugby Australia taking a knife to a gunfight in the battle for a sporting nation’s eyeballs. That’s a shame because it’s the Wallabies’ first outing for 2026 and Allianz Stadium is a sellout. The Test also marks the first round of rugby’s bold new venture, the Nations Championship, a 12-team contest between the best sides of the north and south to be fought across both hemispheres in two windows: July and November. Continue reading...