Despite suffering another huge defeat against the All Blacks, Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson and back-row partner Fraser McReight are confident of doing well in their upcoming tour to the United Kingdom.
The Wallabies are set to face England, Scotland and Wales in next month’s Nations Championship Tests and are keen to return to winning ways after suffering a 43-21 loss against their trans-Tasman rivals in Sydney.
That result came after the All Blacks also cruised to a 50-19 triumph in the corresponding fixture in Auckland last weekend and Wilson was left with little option but to praise New Zealand’s class after the two matches.
Plenty of pressure from the All Blacks
“I probably never felt under so much pressure as in the last two games when they get on top,” said the number eight after the Sydney Test. “Their speed, they play with a lot of width and put our defenders under some extreme pressure.
“We probably had a plan from the last game to fix it, and it probably didn’t work because they just kept getting over the advantage line.”
Meanwhile, flanker McReight shared the belief that Australia will improve during next month’s tour which kicks off with a tricky assignment against England at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on November 8.
“If we’re saying we’re going to go into the Bledisloe undefeated we would’ve taken it. We’ve beat some really good teams and had some tough opposition but the ‘ABs’ are world-class for a reason,” he said. “They’re top two in the world, and I don’t think as many teams have attacked like that. They’re very fast, direct, and decisive.
“It was a great test for us. We learned a lot last week, albeit the score line wasn’t great. For today, we’ll learn a lot but we just can’t give the team 22 points.
“No other teams in the northern hemisphere that we’ve ever seen, I guess Scotland maybe a little bit, but not at ABs level, attack like that. For us, we’re playing the best and adapting to the best.”
Looking forward to Nations Championship Tests
The Wallabies suffered losses to Ireland and France and beat Italy in the first leg of the Nations Championship in Australia in July and are looking forward to their northern hemisphere tour.
McReight is preparing for tough challenges in each three of the Wallabies’ upcoming Tests and has fond memories of Twickenham where they claimed a surprising win over England in 2024.
“We’ve got two weeks off before we come back into camp and enjoy family time again for a four-week tour. It is tough over there, but we really relish the northern hemisphere teams, especially playing in England,” he said.
“’24 we had a great win, and last year we were in that match until the 65th minute and it went away from us. The belief is there, and we’ve just got to keep working and taking lessons.”
Australia are set to be boosted by the return of several stars for the tour, with Carter Gordon likely to be available after recovering from a broken leg.
Len Ikitau (concussion), Ben Donaldson (leg) and Hunter Paisami (suspension) also figure in head coach Les Kiss’ plans, along with the overseas contingent such as Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou.