The Wallabies begin their spring tour against Scotland in Edinburgh this weekend, in a Test that falls outside World Rugby’s official window.
That has resulted in notable omissions for both sides, although the hosts have been harder hit with only their Scotland-based players available for the Murrayfield clash.
Still, Gregor Townsend’s side sit three places above Australia on the world rankings and they will be confident of notching a fourth straight win over the Wallabies when the two teams meet early Sunday morning [AEDT].
Read on as we break down some of the key talking points for this weekend’s fixture.
SCOTLAND A NON-NEGOTIABLE IF WALLABIES ARE TO HIT PASS MARK
Asked what constituted a pass mark for the Wallabies’ spring tour a few weeks ago, Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos declared three wins from their five Tests would result in a satisfactory tour.
It looks a tall order, not just because of the difficulty of the schedule, but more so Australia’s inability to string games together. Their record at 3-6 for the season, the Wallabies’ three victories – all hugely impressive in isolation – were closely followed up by turgid performances when they were slow out of the blocks and repeatedly punished by the referee.
Dave Rennie hasn’t been able to put his finger on the root of either problem, but Tate McDermott revealed the squad was being punished for offside and other moments of ill-discipline at training with burpees.
It seems physical pain is the only way the Wallabies will get the message.
As for Marinos’ message, and what a failure to meet the CEO’s tour marker might mean, Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan recently assured Rennie’s job was secure through to the World Cup. But the Kiwi has been in the game too long to know that the “backing of the board” only extends so far.
If Australia are to record three wins from five Tests, Sunday morning’s game looks non-negotiable. With matches against Ireland and France, the No. 1- and 2-ranked nations in the game, to come, Scotland are, on paper at least, an easier assignment.
But they have been a stubborn roadblock Australia have failed to overcome since the 2015 World Cup, and Australia were perhaps a tad fortunate to come through that Test as well.
“It was a lot of little things. We had a lot of opportunities to score which we didn’t take and we’ve got to be far more clinical,” Rennie reflected on the Wallabies’ loss in Edinburgh in 2021.
“I think we scored one try and so we’re well aware of the threat they pose. They’re excellent post tackle, have the ability to get a couple of tackles and choke you and slow your ball down so they can get a wall up front.
“So that’s been a big focus for us around getting quick ball and then they got some genuine threats especially out wide. We’re well aware of that, we’ve taken a bit out of last year’s game, obviously we’ve looked at the Six Nations and Argentinian tour and we’ve prepared well.”
DEMPSEY’S SWITCH UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT WE BETTER GET USED TO IT
Former Wallabies back-rower Jack Dempsey was on Thursday named among Scotland’s replacements, setting the 28-year-old up for a Test debut Mark II at Murrayfield this weekend.
When he departed Australia for Glasgow after the 2020 Super Rugby AU season, Dempsey had drifted down the Wallabies back-row pecking order despite playing 14 Tests in the gold jersey.
By virtue of a Scottish grandfather on his mother’s side of the family, and the change in World Rugby Test eligibility, Dempsey was quickly in the sights of Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, despite being initially uncertain on the switch himself.
Now, with his three-year stand down period served, Dempsey will line up against his old team for his Test rugby second coming.
“There’s a lot of information to take on board when you’re new to a team, but he’s adapted well,” Townsend said of Dempsey.
“He’s played very well for Glasgow and we want to see his strengths when he comes on.
“We have lots of players that come from different backgrounds and Jack is part of that inclusive, diverse group we have and we can’t wait to see how he does for us.”
Asked about Dempsey’s inclusion, Rennie said the Wallabies had kept in contact with the back-rower since he departed Australia and had provided feedback as to what he needed to improve if he was to earn a Test recall.
While that never eventuated, Rennie wished Dempsey well for his Scotland debut.
“He was only here a matter of months before he headed away when I arrived,” Rennie said. “We’ve watched him closely while he’s been away. He’s always been a really good athlete, great with ball in hand. We always felt he lacked a little bit of physicality and we gave him that feedback.
“And I know he’s worked hard on that and seen it, to prosper and blossom at Glasgow. So he’s a really good player. And I know he’ll be keen as to get amongst our boys. He knows a lot of them really well.”
While it may be an uneasy watch for Australian fans initially, given the Wallabies have themselves benefited so much from the services of Pacific Island-born players over the years, there really can be no gripes.
And it is something supporters of all nations must get used to – Dempsey won’t be the last player to represents two nations at Tier 1 level.
MCDERMOTT INCLUSION SETS UP LIVEWIRE NO. 9 SHOWDOWN
The Wallabies’ uncertainty in the halves shows no signs of abating, with Rennie naming a fifth different combination for the season in pairing Tate McDermott with Bernard Foley this weekend.
McDermott’s previous involvement this year had been confined to one cameo off the bench, the Queenslander forced to cool his heels behind Nic White and then Jake Gordon.
But McDermott has finally now been given a chance to influence a Test match from the outset, his ability to bounce out from, and in and around, the ruck, a point-of-difference to both White and Gordon.
And his inclusion has set up an intriguing battle with Scottish opposite Ali Price, who plays the game in a similar fashion.
“I know it sounds like it’s a new combination, but our boys train together all the time,” Rennie said. “Bernard has worked with all three nines over the past X amount of weeks. Tate’s got an excellent running game as we know. We’re keen for him to use that to threaten and hopefully it’ll create opportunities around that.
“We want to mix up the game by playing off nine and playing off ten and Bernard’s experience and voice helps in regard to establishing that relationship. They’ve looked good together.”
With Gloucester’s Adam Hastings not available and the mercurial Finn Russell left out of the squad altogether, Townsend has been forced to pair Price with Blair Kinghorn.
HOOPER’S RETURN CAN’T BE UNDERSTATED
He may not have the Wallabies captaincy, and may not ever have it again, but Michael Hooper’s mere presence will be a huge boost for an Australia side that has been light on for leadership this season.
While James Slipper has done an admirable job in Hooper’s absence, season-ending injuries to the likes of Samu Kerevi, Quade Cooper and Izack Rodda have left a void in the Wallabies’ leadership stocks, and that was no more evident than when they were put under the pump by the Pumas, Springboks and All Blacks during the Rugby Championship.
So while he may not be dealing with the referees over the next five weeks, nor leading the team talk before and during games, Hooper will still offer a calming presence that the Wallabies have missed when things have fallen apart, particularly early in games, this year.
And then there is the simple fact that he has been among the world’s best opensides for a decade, and has seldom been outside the Wallabies’ best three players in any match he has played in recent memory.
Whether he goes the full 80 remains to be seen, but the Wallabies have the ideal replacement in Pete Samu should Hooper’s match fitness not hold up.
Whatever the case, this looks like a Test destined to go down to the final few minutes when a vocal Scottish crowd will also likely lift its side.
“We know that playing for Scotland is about inspiring our nation and the best way to do that is winning games,” Townsend said.
“We’ve got a lot of home games coming up over the next 12 months and our next four games are at home, so the energy we’ll get off the crowd by playing well can drive us through to have success over the next few weeks.”