For the Wallabies to stand a chance of snapping the All Blacks’ Eden Park fortress and keep the Bledisloe Cup dream alive, James O’Connor must be in Joe Schmidt’s squad.
The veteran playmaker certainly won’t beat the All Blacks alone, but the playmaker’s vision and experience is clearly having a positive effect on his teammates.
The 35-year-old has by no means been faultless since his three-year Test exile ended last month, but O’Connor’s ability to get back on task, change the picture and free up the Wallabies has been telling.
After the Wallabies’ next generation of flyhalves failed to take their chances in Townsville and Sydney, O’Connor helped spark consecutive second-half comebacks, and the Test veteran’s ability to think on his feet and inject a sense of confidence has been clear.
Schmidt insists he’s got a “short-term focus and long-term vision”, but his selection philosophy doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive because winning now will help the future more than anything else.
James O’Connor is set to head to England on Monday night. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Plus, if ever there was a time to go all-in on the Bledisloe Cup, it’s now.
For the first time in years, the All Blacks look vulnerable.
They’ve lost two of their past three Tests, including a record loss to the Springboks over the weekend, and a coach seemingly under the gun after a less-than-convincing start to his coaching tenure since replacing Ian Foster.
Their scrum was well beaten, their lineout fell apart, they were smashed in the air and their defence had more holes than a sieve.
Jason Ryan and Scott Robertson particularly have a big fortnight ahead, especially with Schmidt – a figure highly respected in New Zealand and someone many powerful figures want back in black – plotting their downfall.
Might Wayne Smith return, having popped up ahead of their nail-biting win over the Springboks at Eden Park earlier this month?
New Zealander Joe Schmidt is plotting the All Blacks’ downfall at Eden Park. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
While the All Blacks have looked fallible before, the erosion of key leaders over the years, including Sam Whitelock following the 2023 World Cup, is starting to show.
It’s why Codie Taylor’s absence because of a concussion was so significant.
Anyone thinking the All Blacks are ripe for the picking must consider the response the Springboks dished up after being beaten a week earlier at Eden Park. They were immense – and the All Blacks will look to respond in the same fashion.
BATTLE OF THE AIR TO PROVE DECISIVE AT EDEN PARK
On either side of the ditch, the Wallabies and All Blacks were smashed in the aerial contest.
The Wallabies crazily kept kicking to Corey Toole off kick restarts despite it being arguably the weakest aspect of his game, while playmakers Tane Edmed and O’Connor also lost contestable challenges too.
Even the towering figure of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii struggled in the air, with the outside centre defending in the backfield regularly when Argentina cleared their lines.
Meanwhile, Springboks wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Ethan Hooker – the 193cm rookie, who was brilliant on starting debut – dominated the All Blacks in the air and their ability to win the ball back was telling in their overall result.
The pressure has quickly come back on the All Blacks following their record defeat in Wellington. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
The success the Springboks enjoyed in the contest area came weeks after the Pumas exposed the All Blacks in the air on their way to their 29-23 win at home.
Both coaches will recognise their vulnerability in the crucial area, so expect the Bledisloe opener at Eden Park to be an air raid.
BOKS WAKE FROM THEIR SLUMBER
Those had written the Springboks off after their underwhelming start to 2025 got a timely reminder of their potency on Saturday night.
As written last week, the Springboks remain the favourites for the 2027 World Cup – and their comprehensive annihilation of the All Blacks showed that.
The Springboks’ leaders stood up; Siya Kolisi played like a man possessed, Pieter-Steph du Toit returned to form and Jasper Weise’s bone-crunching return from suspension was emphatic.
And what about RG Snyman? After missing selection in Auckland, the Leinster-based giant came off the bench early after Lood de Jager’s early departure and was simply awesome.
The backline, too, played out of their skins.
The selection of Damian Willemse in the No.12 jersey was inspired, with the utility back unlocking the Springboks’ attack.
Manie Libbok also had the Test of his life, coming on early for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezelu and filling the void spectacularly.
TOUGH DECISIONS NEEDED BY RA ON SUPER RUGBY W
Unsurprisingly, the Wallaroos’ World Cup came to an end in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Jo Yapp’s side were thumped by Canada, with the world No.2 side blowing the Wallaroos away.
The Canadians proved way too hot to handle, with the Wallaroos unable to slow their ruck and bring down their maul.
But the result wasn’t surprising and unless things change, it will be the same result in 2029 when Australia hosts the next World Cup.
While the Wallaroos’ program is on the right track, having become more professional over the past 18 months, change needs to occur at provincial level.
The Super Rugby Women’s competition is far too short, but the Wallaroos aren’t going to improve simply by extending the season.
Rugby Australia must make some big decisions to help the Wallaroos go to the next step. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Not only are squads not deep enough, there’s not enough talent nor money to simply throw resources at the four Super Rugby sides.
And if the Waratahs’ ugly result against Super Rugby Aupiki’s champion in May is anything to go by, nor would simply joining their trans-Tasman rivals in a bigger competition be the answer either.
So what can be done?
It seems increasingly apparent for the Wallaroos to take the next step that talent needs to be consolidated into less sides, so to build cohesion, competitiveness and challenge against stronger competition across the ditch.
Headhunting three to four of the best and biggest talent in the NRLW could be another way of bolstering the side’s forward pack, who need more size and muscle to compete with the big four – Canada, England, France and New Zealand.
MISSING THIRD TIER RETURNS – AND SO SHOULD MISSING TEST STARS
It barely made a ripple across the globe, but the start of the Super Rugby AUS over the weekend looms as one of the most significant developments in Australian rugby.
The shelling of the National Rugby Championship denied Australia’s next generation of players and coaches important opportunities to bridge the gap between the amateur and professional games. It also denied players of national interest a chance another chance to press claims for higher honours.
And while the Super Rugby AUS competition isn’t perfect – the three-round competition is far too short – it’s a good start.
It needs to be respected by the Wallabies, too.
When the All Blacks returned from Argentina last month, 16 All Blacks from Robertson’s squad were made available to play for their NPC sides.
While a couple picked up injuries, including Timoci Tavatavanawai (arm) and Asafo Aumua (concussion), others got through unscathed and pressed their claims for Test selection including Emoni Nawara, Caleb Clarke and Leory Carter.
A week later, Nawara scored with one of his first touches against the Springboks before suffering an injury. Carter then had a strong debut a week later in Wellington.
That didn’t occur in Australia over the weekend as Schmidt’s extended squad kept their powder dry rather than run out on the opening weekend of action.
Some, like Jake Gordon, weren’t quite fit enough to return, but others were.
But less than a fortnight out from the Bledisloe Cup, with several members needing game time, that should change.
The Wallabies can’t afford to have any underdone players line up against the All Blacks at Eden Park.