Schmidt Highlights Scotland’s Strength as Toughest International Opponent

Australia’s head coach, Joe Schmidt, has declared that the current Scotland team is the most formidable he has encountered during his career in international rugby. Schmidt, who oversaw Ireland’s ascent over eight years, achieving seven victories and one defeat against Scotland, believes that Gregor Townsend’s squad has now reached “the sweet spot” in its development. When questioned about any unease caused by the extensive praise his team received after their wins against England and Wales, Schmidt responded, “Look, I’m permanently uncomfortable.” He further stated, “I just know how good Scotland are and I know how good we’re going to have to be.” Schmidt praised Scotland’s impressive overall balance. He noted that Scotland has consistently featured a strong back row. He added, “I’ve have seen a lot of Finn [Russell] over the years. Blair Kinghorn’s been around for a long time. Some really good strike players. Duhan van der Merwe has been a standout, but Darcy Graham’s been electric.” Regarding the midfield, Schmidt commented on “our punchy Australian skipper there, Sione Tuipulotu, or Scottish as he is now. He’s done super and is pretty well known to our boys and Huw Jones is a guy who’s elusive and brings a real experience to the midfield as well. So it’s pretty hard to pinpoint a weakness.” Schmidt also reflected on his only loss to Scotland in 2017, attributing it partly to the team bus arriving late at Murrayfield, which disrupted their pre-match preparations. Recalling the incident with a smile, he said, “We were a bit late arriving that day.” He continued, “I’ll never forget saying to [then Scotland head coach Vern Cotter], who’s a great mate of mine, that we’ve only got 26 minutes to warm up and he said: ‘People are useless, I said give them 20 (minutes)’.” Scotland began that match exceptionally well, and Greig Laidlaw secured the win by kicking crucial goals late in the game. Schmidt mentioned that, coincidentally, Greig is currently coaching Samu Kerevi, and he had recently spoken with him, describing him as “a top man.” Schmidt does not anticipate an easier challenge at Murrayfield this time around. He remarked, “Scotland play a fantastic brand of rugby.” He further explained, “They’re quick. During the World Cup, outside of the All Blacks, they played with more width than any other team. So you’ve got to be good across the field.” For Scotland to overcome Schmidt and his revitalized Wallabies, they will need to demonstrate excellence in every facet of their play.