Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has refused to be sucked into the hype around the potential for Australia's first British Isles grand slam in 40 years — but admitted the chances of a rare clean sweep were still alive.
"The grand slam may still be alive," Schmidt admitted with a smile, the Wallabies' incredible 42-37 victory over England at Twickenham.
"But we won't look too far ahead."
In fact, the ex-Ireland boss said his coaching staff was fully focused on Sunday's (Monday morning AEDT) clash against Wales at the Principality Stadium.
Wales destroyed the Wallabies at the 2023 World Cup, running out 40-6 winners in Lyon.
But this Welsh side is a shadow of that team, falling to a 10th-straight defeat, this time against Fiji 24-19.
It was Wales's first-ever defeat to a Pacific Island nation on home soil.
A win in Cardiff would take the Wallabies halfway towards emulating the Mark Ella-inspired class of 1984 — the last side to beat all four nations from Britain and Ireland on a single tour.
But Schmidt would only outline the monumental nature of what would come afterwards.
Matches against Scotland, who gave world champions South Africa a serious run for their money for much of Sunday's clash at Murrayfield, until eventually succumbing 32-15.
Then, a reunion with Schmidt's old friends in Dublin.
"I still know some of those Irish guys quite well," Schmidt said.
"So we'll see where we get to there."
Yet even if the slam is a long way off, there was no question the Wallabies' epic triumph on Saturday had already transformed the confidence of his squad.
"I'm not sure we've turned it around. I think we're turning," Schmidt said.
"Inevitably, progress is never linear, so there'll be a few peaks and troughs on the way further forward, but I've found a really good bunch of people, both in the staff and in the playing group.
"The players can grow confidence in themselves. And I thought some of the skill exhibited, some of the things we've been working really hard on, were certainly visible, which gives us a bit of confidence, certainly gives the players a bit of confidence.
"I think there's green shoots."
Original story:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-11/wallabies-coach-plays-down-grand-slam-dreams/104584304
