Joe Schmidt admits Wallaby worries after Fiji scare

“As I said, we’re just going to have to build that quiet resolve that inch by inch we can work our way toward that.”

In another question about whether he had confidence the Wallabies could beat the Lions, Schmidt said: “I’m not a really confident sort of person. There’s not real confidence, but there’s a quiet resolve.

“And that quiet resolve, hopefully over the three match series can build to something that will earn us the support of a very interested group.”

Schmidt said the Wallabies had suffered from an inability to finish off their scoring opportunities, and build pressure on the Fijians via a steadily climbing scoreboard. He cited two crooked lineout throws when on the Fijians’ line that could have seen the Wallabies push their lead out further.

“We’ve got to iron those out to be super accurate because if you don’t nail your opportunities you don’t get to build that scoreboard pressure. As long as they believe, well, there’s a way for them because they’re so athletic,” Schmidt said.

“We didn’t quite feel that we got reward for our scrum. I thought our scrum was really good. Didn’t quite get that reward for the line-out, as I mentioned, but they’re things that we’ll be working really hard on.

“Obviously, we got pulled back for two forward passes and that’s a skill execution thing we need to take responsibility for and be more accurate with. If you put those four things together, you’re already in a lot stronger position in terms of controlling the result, at least.”

Schmidt said he expected some rustiness, and given a short preparation, Schmidt downplayed some of the problems in connection and fluidity that seemed to arise.

“We haven’t been together for six months and to have five trainings and to be seamless, that would be an expectation that I hoped for rather than believed would immediately happen,” Schmidt said.

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“So now we have another short runway to try and improve from where we were today.”

After Fiji coach Mick Byrne indicated post-game that his side had fed off the disrespect of people framing it as a “warm-up game” for the Wallabies ahead the Lions, Schmidt conceded there may have been some attention leakage, with Australia looking a little around the corner as well at the Fiji challenge.

“It is inevitable to a degree. Sometimes you try to talk yourself into something and try to narrow the focus but inevitably we were watching the game last night with the Waratahs playing the Lions. We watched as a team when the Reds played them as well,” he said.

“We’ve got players from both those teams involved in the squad so there’s skin in the game there. I’ve no doubt that that might leak in but I certainly wouldn’t be looking to use it as an excuse.

“You’ve got to be good enough in test match footy to win the moments you need to in the game that’s right in front of you.”

All nine matches of The British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia are live & on demand on Stan Sport, with Wallabies Tests in 4K. All Test matches live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.

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