Joe Schmidt reflects on Bledisloe loss, looks ahead

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt insisted he won’t scapegoat the referee after Australia’s 33-24 defeat to New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup opener.

He conceded the Wallabies “need to be better” but declined to pin the result on officiating, saying inconsistencies make his job harder.

Australia face fresh selection challenges ahead of Saturday’s rematch. Scrumhalf Tate McDermott left the game early with a hamstring injury. Schmidt has added veteran Nic White as a training partner, calling him “the gift that keeps on giving.”

Rugby union icons Will Skelton and Rob Valetini return, and back Josh Flook is also included. Centre Len Ikitau, who left the field mid-game after battling a virus, is still expected to start.

After falling behind 20-3, the Wallabies showed fight to narrow the gap, trailing by two points with ten minutes left. But a late try by New Zealand’s Cam Roigard, combined with penalties and a yellow card to winger Harry Potter in the final minutes, ended Australia’s hopes.

Schmidt acknowledged some decisions were frustrating, but said his team must adapt more quickly to the referee’s interpretations of ruck and breakdown.

“We’ve got to try to be able to adapt to Andrea Piardi and that’s one of the challenges,” said Schmidt.

“It’s pretty hard to adapt in game when the All Blacks are getting width and coming at you.

“They put a lot of pressure on and sometimes when you over-chase something, you give something away in terms of a penalty so we’ve got to cop that on the chin and get better.”