‘They’d like to get three’: Dual World Cup winner on Wallabies’ Spring Tour

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Tim Horan believes the Wallabies have already hit the pass mark that many set of them before the Spring Tour. Australia got the better of England and Wales before falling to Scotland, but Horan insists the men in gold will be hungry for a third win.

The Wallabies started their new era under coach Joe Schmidt with three wins from as many matches during the July international window, but things took a turn during The Rugby Championship as they suffered five losses from six fixtures.

Australia’s only win during TRC was a dramatic 20-19 win away to Argentina. While they showed signs of promise in their opening Bledisloe Cup Test at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, it seemed the Wallabies had firmed as likely underdogs before most of their four November Tests.

But there was a genuine rugby buzz in Australia after the Wallabies’ stunning 42-37 win over England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, with winger Max Jorgensen gliding down the left edge to score the match-winning try in the 84^th minute of that all-time classic Test.

The Wallabies kept their grand slam hopes alive with a dominant win over Wales a week later in Cardiff, but those dreams were dashed last time out by Scotland at Murrayfield. But not all is lost with the Aussies still eager to end their year with a win over Test heavyweights Ireland.

“I think considering where the Wallabies were prior to this tour, and a lot of people were saying just win two games and that’s a pass mark for the Wallabies and Joe Schmidt, I think they’d like to get three now,” Horan said on Stan Sports’ Rugby Heaven.

“The momentum that they’ve got, the style of game, the brand of rugby they’re playing, I think that’s what’s re-engaged the rugby public at the moment.”

When Dave Rennie was coaching the Wallabies, the visitors came close to knocking off Ireland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium before falling to a narrow 13-10 defeat. That was the last meeting between the two sides, and that was Ireland’s third win on the bounce over Australia.

The Wallabies’ last win over the Irish was on 9 June 2018, at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. But fans have to look back a fair bit further in the history books to find Australia’s last win over the Irish at the Aviva Stadium, which was a 26-23 triumph on 16 November 2013.

Ireland have since emerged as one of the teams to beat in international rugby, with the All Blacks knocking them off top spot on World Rugby’s men’s rankings earlier this month. South Africa is now in pole position, but the Irish aren’t too far behind in second place.

Once again, the Wallabies are considered by many to be the underdogs for this weekend’s Test, but the players themselves aren’t counting themselves out. As world-class openside flanker Fraser McReight discussed, ending the season on a high is a big focus for this team.

“There’s nothing better than finishing, four of five weeks away from home now, with a win. We did it two years ago in Cardiff and it’s a great way to finish off the Wallabies’ season,” McReight explained in a Stan Sport interview.

“For us, it’s about really just not thinking about anything else but the Irish game this Saturday. It’s one more week, we’re putting in the effort everywhere we can whether that’s training detail or watching footage.

“Being narrowed focus for one more week, get the job done, and then we’ll go from there.”