The Wallabies have ended the Joe Schmidt era in style, blitzing Italy 57-10 in Perth to end their six-game losing streak in emphatic fashion and give longsuffering fans a glimpse of the riches new coach Les Kiss inherits in the bid for the 2027 World Cup.
Despite Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada being suspended by World Rugby for labelling French referee Luc Ramos as “super poor” in the Azzurri’s 47-17 loss to the All Blacks last week, the world No 10 side were expected to trouble the Wallabies, as they had in their shock victories in 2022 and 2025. Instead they walked into an ambush.
Australia exploded out of the blocks, playing with speed, gusto and precision. Their first points came after they rolled a maul 20m, then hammered the corner for Josh Canham to cross. Tom Wright then split the thin blue line and a few phases later ran on to a brilliant Allan Alaalatoa off-load to jink over for Australia’s second and 12-0.
The Wallabies’ brilliant start continued when they stole a lineout and winger Harry Potter sliced through and fed his inside runners. The gold jerseys rushed in and again they showed composure from close range as hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa burrowed over for Australia’s third try in 12 minutes to make it a breathtaking 19-0.
Italy gradually got themselves into the game and they pegged back five points when captain Michele Lamaro found the line despite Potter’s desperate tackle. But Australia were on fire and despite Max Jorgensen having a try denied, they smashed upfield again and sucked in the blue defence for Canham to barge over for a double.
At 24-5 after 28 minutes, Italy were stunned but so were many Australian fans. They had seen scintillating play from this team before but rarely such sustained torrents as this. The Wallabies had found their ruthless edge at last and the rampage continued apace as a crisp lineout and maul sent Angus Bell over the stripe for 31-5.
Every man in gold was hitting the line with lethal intent, winning collisions to spark support runners. The midfield marauders of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Len Ikitau led the assault. With Italy tottering, Australia went into Harlem Globetrotter-mode, bouncing passes hither and thither. Ikitau’s try made it 38-5 on the half-time siren.
For a team who had lost nine of their last 10 Tests, it was a scarcely believable score – the greatest first half blitz since the 42 points they put on minnows Namibia at the 2003 World Cup. Australia were winning the set-piece and bossing the breakdown. Their passes were sticking and their bold strategies were reaping rich dividends.
The pinch of salt on the home side’s six-try feast from its 68% possession was their second-half fade-outs. In the previous two weeks they had squandered leads against Ireland and France. Sure enough, Melbourne-winger Monty Ioane dotted down for Italy in the left corner to make it 38-10. Could the Wallabies maintain their mojo this time?
The answer was a resounding yes. Determined to prove the Italian resistance a blip, Rob Valetini launched a barnstorming charge which had teammates queueing up to finish. In the end, Canham crashed over for his hat-trick, a remarkable feat for a young man in just his third Test. Ryan Lonergan kicked the extras for 45-10.
A gambler to the end, Schmidt had rolled the dice by dropping Australia’s only World XV player Fraser McReight to the bench to grant the home town hitman, Carlo Tizzano, a licence to “explode”. By the time the burly son of a Naples-born father left the field in the 65th minute, his dervish tackling and jackling had inspired a 40-point lead.
The frenzy hit high pitch when giant lock Miles Amatosero ran on to become Schmidt’s 27th debutant in 31 Tests. It was a remarkable rise for a firebrand who broke a teammate’s jaw in pre-season and he quickly detonated a fresh fracas that spilled over the sidelines and saw prop Marco Riccioni red-carded for punching.
As Italy watched their teammate expelled from the stadium to join his coach in exile, Schmidt and his assistant Laurie Fisher cracked a smile before they would crack a beer. “Lord Laurie” had given 27 years to the cause and Schmidt had spent three seasons rebuilding Australia from the shattered men humiliated at the 2023 World Cup.
Ben Donaldson’s celebratory try on the siren gave Schmidt his biggest win as coach. But something more than a mere Test victory had been achieved: hope for the future. After a rotten run of injuries and defeats, the Wallabies had their first win of 2026. The Schmidt era is over and the Kiss army suddenly has a spring in their step.
