This weekend’s Test against Italy is where Australian rugby fans will discover if Joe Schmidt is worth his salt.

The trust in “Uncle Joe” is starting to wane after an underwhelming month, which has seen the Wallabies lose four of their past five Tests.

And while Australian rugby fans have become accustomed to losing, having won at just 41 per cent since 2016, the manner of the performances has become just as concerning.

Indeed, the Wallabies have scored just 40 points in their past three Tests – or 13.33 points per Test. That includes a narrow four-point victory over Japan, who are ranked six places behind Australia in sixth and just shipped 61 points to South Africa, in Tokyo.

At the same time, the Wallabies have conceded 68 points.

The feeling beyond the raw data is arguably even worse.

The Wallabies’ one try against England came via a 93-metre intercept try from Harry Potter.

Other than that, the Wallabies failed to fire a shot and barely stretched England, and the absence of Tom Wright is being acutely felt.

Twice the men in gold were held up over the line as the Wallabies attempted pick and drives from close after penalties saw Schmidt’s side enter the opposition 22 metre zone.

The same narrow attack was on display against Japan, with the Wallabies scoring one well worked try from a clinical set-piece strike play from close to halfway.

Josh Flook’s try aside, the Wallabies had effectively 30 consecutive phases against Japan in the first half on the opposition line and couldn’t cross the line.

And when the Wallabies attempted to spread the ball, Andrew Kellaway was eaten up and the Wallabies were penalised for failing to release. Alarmingly, Eddie Jones’ Japanese only had 14 players on the field at the time.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies have been giving metres away at will and are the only nation on the planet adopting a passive defensive line, which is built on connection but is allowing oppositions to take metres at will.

It’s a point former Wallaby Morgan Turinui highlighted last week on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“I just find it interesting that everyone else is doing it differently to the Wallabies at the top of the tree in world rugby,” Turinui said. “I’d love to see any chance we get for a bit of line speed, take it.”

Against England, though, the Wallabies were fortunate to survive an attacking raid on one of the few times Steve Borthwick’s side ran the ball as Potter somehow got underneath Ben Earl.

In the 31st minute, the scrum 48 metres out from the Wallabies’ line wheels around and as such England’s Alex Mitchell takes the space and finds his playmaker George Ford, who then puts fullback Freddie Steward in some space.

While the Wallabies jockey well and Max Jorgensen and Andrew Kellaway bring down Tommy Freeman well 12 metres out, Schmidt’s defensive line concedes 36 metres in the process. At the same time, six of the Wallabies’ forwards are miles away from the action.

Next phase, Mitchell gets to the breakdown quickly and fires the ball to Ford, who puts Earl through a broken defensive line, but after some impressive scrambling from Potter is denied a second try.

The movement was seen regularly against the All Blacks, especially in Auckland, with the Wallabies allowing their opponents off the hook far too easily.

In essence, the Wallabies have become too predictable in recent weeks.

Their frailties under the high ball have also been exposed, with Tane Edmed struggling when standing in the back field. Making the call to leave him at the back all the more surprising is that Edmed belted Fraser Dingwall when in the front line.

The Wallabies’ struggles make Sunday’s (AEDT) clash against Italy fascinating, especially given opposition coaches have caught on to how Schmidt’s side is attacking and defending.

Now, it’s up to Schmidt and his coaching team to show they can adapt – or at least improve.

TWO HORROR STANZAS THAT SUMMED UP WALLABIES’ INSIPID SHOWING

Trailing 10-7 after 51 minutes, the Wallabies had a real shot of landing a blow when Jeremy Williams secured possession at the back of a six-man lineout 15 metres out from the England line.

Hunter Paisami thundered forward and almost stormed over George Ford.

But the momentum soon was lost when Harry Wilson’s pop-pass from the deck hit the ground.

Seconds later, Jake Gordon dummied twice, hoping for a runner, before Tom Robertson eventually obliged. But the Wallabies’ cleaners were inaccurate and England won a penalty as the tight-head prop failed to release.

From there, the Wallabies gave away another penalty at the maul as Wilson was pinged for “collapsing the maul”.

While the Wallabies survived the next assault, the back-to-back infringements saw the home side lose the momentum.

Later, in the 73rd minute, an ugly minute summed up the Wallabies’ ugly afternoon.

Andrew Kellaway secured possession from a long Ben Spencer clearance and quickly passed to Edmed, but the No.10 took too long to make his next move and was gobbled up by Tom Curry.

Although Edmed didn’t lose possession, the Wallabies have one phase to settle it down, but as they shifted the ball to the fringe Filipo Daugunu kicked out on the full.

From the next lineout, England marched the Wallabies backwards 25 from a rolling maul and England had their fourth try.

Game. Set. Match.

TAXING SCHEDULE SIMPLY AN EXCUSE

Before the spring tour, Schmidt said he would have to use his entire squad because fatigue would set in otherwise.

He then made 13 changes to his run-on side for the Japan Test late last month, before returning to somewhat of his first-strength side for the England game.

The changes, however, didn’t work as England put away a poor Wallabies side.

It was then put to Schmidt that the Wallabies looked “sluggish” and the coach was asked whether time “might have caught up with you?”

“Yeah, I felt the same way and obviously Harry senses that as well,” Schmidt responded.

“All we can do is try to freshen players from week to week and obviously you get a little bit of attrition from week to week with a few guys picking up injuries and not being available.

“We don’t want to make excuses.”

Joe Schmidt addresses the Wallabies ahead of their Test against England. Photo: Julius Dimataga, Rugby Australia

And yet Schmidt did, and it came after wholesale changes, which occurred after the Wallabies had almost a fortnight off.

While the Wallabies are playing 15 Tests this year, almost half of the starting side have missed huge chunks of 2025 because of injury or because they weren’t selected.

Australia’s provincial competition is also one of the shortest on the planet, while only the Brumbies made it to the semi-finals.

If anything the Wallabies need more rugby, not less.

MCREIGHT FIRES STRAIGHT BACK

A week after Carlo Tizzano was the Wallabies’ best against Japan, Fraser McReight returned serve as he took it to England.

Had McReight not been on the field, England likely would have put the Test to bed much earlier than it was.

The openside flanker won four turnovers (two penalties, two pilfers) in the second half to keep the Wallabies in it.

“I thought Fraser McReight stole too many balls from us. He’s a wonderful player, an incredible player,” said England coach Steve Borthwick.

“We’ve got some work to do in that area, we know Fiji challenge a breakdown from inside and outside, and they have a big counter-ruck threat.

“So, we’ve got some work to do this week.”

Fraser McReight kept the Wallabies in the fight for most of the Test against England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

His lone hand was fascinating given Borthwick selected effectively five hard on-ballers in his side, with Tom Curry and Henry Pollock coming off the bench.

Could Schmidt include Tizzano in the same side?

It’s an argument that is growing in weight, especially given Rob Valetini and Wilson were barely used in the lineout.

IS IT TIME TO SHIFT SUAALII TO THE OUTSIDE BACKS?

The Wallabies’ marquee man, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, might have shown some growth during The Rugby Championship, but the Test against Italy represents a chance to see a different picture.

While the Italians will be smelling blood, they also won’t be scared by what they’re seeing from the Wallabies either.

So is it time the Wallabies sprung a surprise by shifting Suaalii to the backfield?

That would not just allow Hunter Paisami to team up with Len Ikitau again, it would also change the picture in the backfield.