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“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” - an old adage not just for rugby but for life. For generations, rugby coaches have spoken about wanting their teams to be “the best at the things that take no talent” - quicker to stand up after a tackle, faster to chase a kick, winning rugby’s mini-races that can derail even the most talented players.
Perhaps no coach typifies this more than Joe Schmidt. His teams are know for their structure, control and relentlessness. Shaun Edwards once spoke of how any team playing against a Joe Schmidt coached side should expect to make 200 tackles in a match.
Schmidt famously banned offloads whilst at Leinster, preferring to preserve control and structure in his attacks, whilst he became known as the ‘chess grand master’ thanks to the intricacy of his set plays.
It’s an approach that has brought him success, plaudits and legacy. He’s won 3 Six Nations titles, numerous domestic and European club titles and World Coach of the Year in 2018. Rival coaches have spoken of the admiration they have for his structures whilst the coaching terminology used in Ireland - where he saw the bulk of his success - still carries echos of ‘Schmidt-ian’ philosophy to this day.
But in 2025, when the zeitgeist is to work smarter, not harder, is the Joe Schmidt way of doing things starting to look outdated?
There is a credible case to be made that Australia are currently the hardest working team in rugby. In the 2025 Rugby Championship (TRC), the Wallabies made:
the most carries
the most passes
the most rucks
Meanwhile, they kicked the 2nd least in total, but had the lowest kick to pass ratio (0.14). They also beat the fewest defenders in TRC, show that when they carry they are seeking contact rather than trying to avoid it.
So far in 2025, Australia are averaging 104 rucks per game - no one else in TRC averaged more than 89. Last weekend the 2nd highest rucks behind Australia was Scotland with 95 in a game where they had a whopping 61% possession. England had just 59 rucks as they thrashed the Wallabies in Twickenham on the same day.
Possession is another stat where the Wallabies tend to rank highly; they have enjoyed the majority of possession in 8 of their 12 matches in 2025 so far. However, the same cannot be said for territory, where they have come off worse in 8 out of 12 games so far.
In the England game it was an alarming 55% possession for just 42% territory. From rounds 2-5 of TRC they averaged just 16% of their ball in the opposition 22 and have made double figures for 22 visits just twice in 2025.
What this tells us is that Australia are expending a huge amount of energy (carrying the ball, resourcing rucks, getting into shape for the next pass) far away from the try line.
No-one else is playing like this - the days of 25-30 phase attacks are over. Even Schmidt’s old team Ireland have cut their ruck count significantly. World number 1s the Springboks are averaging 20% fewer rucks, 20% fewer passes and, in relative terms, 50% more kicks than Australia.
Speaking of South Africa, Australia’s best result of 2025 was their thrilling comeback against them in R1 of TRC. In that game they had their fewest rucks of the year (76) and fewest passes of the year (135). That shock result was 1 of just 5 wins they’ve picked up in 12 games so far this year.
So, why are Australia playing such ‘un-smart’ rugby? The truth is that this team has a number of issues that are preventing Schmidt’s proven strategies from working. Foremost of these is their line out, which was the worst in TRC, and their discipline issue which got worse game on game. These will be the major reasons they are struggling to control territory.
The fly-half situation is also problematic. The injury to first choice Noah Lolesio in the first test of the season was a massive blow to their plans and he has since left Australian shores to play his club rugby in Japan.
In his absence, neither Tom Lynagh or Tane Edmed have looked comfortable stepping up to test level (the latter in particular has endured a tough time so far) whilst Schmidt is clearly reluctant to lean on the experienced but aging James O’Connor. Small wonder Rugby Australia have opted to their new-found riches to bring Carter Gordon back from league.
What’s more, the scrum-halves have also been heavily rotated thanks to injuries. Even so, it is still baffling, in 2025, to watch an international team play 6 or 7 phases on the 10m line - one assumes they must know it’s a naive tactic, but they do it anyway.
Compounding matters is the Wallaby’s incredibly tough schedule that, by the end of the year, will have seen them play 15 games in just 5 months - nearly 40% more games than Ireland will play in twice the length of time (11 in 10).
Australia’s slim squad depth makes rotation very difficult, further stressing athletes who are already playing this incredibly strenuous game-plan. Additionally, the 12 games they have played so far this year included 3 tests against the British & Irish Lions and 2 each against the All Blacks and the Springboks. In that light, it could be argued picking up 5 wins is actually a decent return.
But then there is Schmidt himself, who we already know is stepping down next year. It is meant as no disrespect to ask: how motivated is a man in the final 12 months of his career to revisit and re-draw the game-plan that has served him so well at test level for years?
Hence, despite Schmidt’s incredible pedigree as a coach and undoubted class as a man, it might be prudent that Australian are moving on. The jury is out on Schmidt’s replacement, Les Kiss, but the Queensland Reds team he currently coaches is posting encouraging underlying stats - even if the results aren’t always following.
Ireland are currently showing how difficult it is for a group of players and coaches who are deeply steeped in Schmidt-ian philosophy (from academy to national level) to transition to the ‘smarter not harder’ world of rugby in 2025.
To say the Wallabies must break free of Schmidt is deeply unfair as he has unquestionably had a positive impact in Australia since picking up the mess left by Eddie Jones; He has planted trees others will sit int he shade of. However, it might be fair to say it’s the right time to change, to adapt, and to modernise.
