Joe Schmidt, head coach of the Wallabies, is using his time in Melbourne to prepare for Australia’s upcoming rugby challenges, including the high-profile British and Irish Lions tour.
While in the city, he’s combining promotional duties with personal time, visiting his son, who plays club rugby locally. He’s also drawing inspiration from other sports by meeting Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge to exchange ideas on leadership and building winning cultures, all with the aim of gaining an edge ahead of the Wallabies' clash with the Lions.
As it stands, many of the best betting sites not on GamStop UK have placed the Wallabies as underdogs with odds of 15/8 to win the series. However, despite these odds, many Wallabies fans remain optimistic about Joe Schmidt's influence on the team and are likely to place wagers on Australia to pull off an upset.
Schmidt’s time in Melbourne reflects the same strategic mindset he brings to coaching. By learning from other high-performance environments, he’s broadening his approach. His meeting with Beveridge at Whitten Oval offered a glimpse into the world of Australian rules football, a sport that dominates local interest far more than rugby. The two also bonded over a shared appreciation for literature and leadership, making the visit a uniquely personal and professional experience.
While the meeting included a light exchange about gameplay differences, Schmidt’s main interest lay in understanding how successful environments are built and maintained. Drawing from Beveridge’s success in leading the Bulldogs to an AFL premiership and keeping the team competitive, Schmidt aimed to gather insights into sustaining team morale and fostering a strong mindset. This pursuit of learning isn’t new for him—he has previously sought advice from sports leaders such as Arsène Wenger and studied practices from Gaelic football and hurling.
Schmidt’s trip wasn’t only professional. His son, who lives and plays rugby in Melbourne, provided another reason to visit. But professionally, the timing is significant. Schmidt is promoting the Wallabies’ second Test match against the Lions, scheduled for July, while simultaneously looking to strengthen Australia's rugby systems ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Despite originally planning to step down this year, Schmidt recently extended his contract through mid-2026. This decision followed productive discussions with Rugby Australia, which agreed to provide greater flexibility in his working arrangements and allow for more family time, particularly due to his son’s medical needs in New Zealand. His extension is part of a broader transition plan, with Les Kiss, a former assistant under Schmidt, set to take over in time for the home World Cup.
Schmidt is focused on short-term improvements without losing sight of long-term goals. The upcoming season will be critical, especially with the Wallabies currently ranked eighth in the world. Their opening Test match of the year will be against Fiji, ranked just below them, and 2025 is seen as a chance to rebuild confidence and secure a better position before the next World Cup seedings.
Amid the planning, Schmidt finds balance in literature, using books as a way to decompress and distance himself from the constant mental demands of coaching. Both he and Beveridge enjoy reading, with one particular novel offering an escape from the stresses of sport. Schmidt finds that longer, immersive reads help clear his mind, letting him mentally shift away from tactics and match pressure.
As he leads the Wallabies into a vital period, Schmidt also draws inspiration from leadership-focused works. He has spoken about adopting lessons from books on organisational change, which emphasise empowering individuals and reshaping systems to encourage ownership and initiative. These ideas are part of the cultural adjustments he hopes to instil before handing over to Kiss. Although Schmidt and Kiss have a strong working relationship and will stay in close contact, Schmidt acknowledges that all transitions come with challenges. His goal is to ensure that positive practices carry forward while shedding less effective ones.
Australia’s 2025 campaign will not only serve as a testing ground for Schmidt’s leadership but also as a foundation for the future under Kiss. With high expectations ahead of the Lions series and a need to reverse a downward trend in global rankings, Schmidt remains focused on delivering steady progress, both on and off the field.
