Nations Championship Showdown
Wallabies and Italy Clash for First Win in Critical Nations Championship Finale as Schmidt Departs
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Key Points
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Wallabies persist with debutant Declan Meredith at fly-half, with Ben Donaldson returning to the bench to impact off the bench; Fraser McReight moves to the bench, and Carlo Tizzano is named for his first Test of the year.
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Joe Schmidt will bow out as Wallabies head coach after this match, representing the end of a turbulent year and marking his final Test in charge.
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Italy come into the clash having been well beaten by New Zealand last weekend and previously losing to Japan, shaping their mindset heading into a pivotal contest.
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With two wins apiece and heading into the final two game weeks, the standings are razor-thin, adding extra pressure as both teams chase momentum.
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A viewing guide accompanying the coverage notes free live streams are available in multiple regions (UK, Ireland, France, Australia, United States) with VPN options for viewers abroad.
Australia's Wallabies host Italy at HBF Park in Perth on July 18 in the final round of the inaugural 2026 Nations Championship's southern series — a match that doubles as head coach Joe Schmidt's last Test in charge. Live Research reports Schmidt's record stands at 11 wins and 19 defeats heading into the game, with a sixth straight loss looming if Australia cannot hold on against a wounded but dangerous Italian side.
The stakes are sharp for both teams. Every nation in the southern pool enters the final two game weeks with two wins apiece, meaning the loser in Perth faces a difficult road into the autumn crossover window in Europe. Live Research notes that Italy, having lost to Japan (27–10) and New Zealand (47–17), arrives desperate — and Australia, having squandered halftime leads against Ireland and France, is no more comfortable.
Schmidt's Final Test and a Chaotic Coaching Handover
Joe Schmidt steps down immediately after this match. Les Kiss, poached from the Queensland Reds for an estimated $600,000 buyout fee, takes over starting August 8 against Japan in Townsville. Live Research describes the overlap as awkward — Kiss spent Schmidt's final weeks watching from the stands. Schmidt himself admitted feeling "a little bit lost" heading into his last game, telling reporters the weekly planning routine that defined his career has "disappeared."
Despite the turmoil, Schmidt kept faith in his team's direction. "It's been frustrating because I just keep feeling that we're not far off," he said. Captain Harry Wilson credited Schmidt with "relentless support" and expressed a desire to carry that culture into the next World Cup cycle. Australia hosts the 2027 Rugby World Cup with only 14 months and 19 scheduled Tests remaining.
Fly-Half Injury Crisis Forces Wallabies to Gamble on Meredith
Australia's backline has been wrecked by calf injuries. Carter Gordon, Tom Lynagh, and Ben Donaldson all suffered calf tears within a single month. That forced Schmidt to hand a debut to 27-year-old ACT Brumbies playmaker Declan Meredith against France last week. Meredith keeps his starting spot in Perth despite Australia conceding 30 unanswered second-half points in Brisbane.
Schmidt backed Meredith firmly. "Declan, I thought he steered us around the field really well," he said. Donaldson returns to the bench as a finisher. Italy winger Louis Lynagh — son of Wallabies legend Michael Lynagh — noted that his brother Tom suffered "two back-to-back calf tears." Sports writer Paul Cully called the outbreak "a fundamental issue" and added: "Calf issues are an old man's injury, not three blokes aged 23, 25, and 27."
Italy Arrive Without Their Coach After Referee Controversy
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada is banned from the stadium in Perth. After Italy's 47–17 loss to New Zealand — during which lock Niccolò Cannone was red-carded, leaving the team with 14 men for 30 minutes — Quesada called French referee Luc Ramos "super poor" on camera. World Rugby handed him a two-match ban under its Match Official Abuse rules. Live Research reports his appeal reduced that to one match, meaning he misses only the Perth Test.
Quesada formally apologized, with World Rugby noting he accepted his comments "fell short of the standard expected." But the ban sparked debate. Italy's federation appealed immediately, arguing that calling refereeing "super poor" is routine professional criticism. Cannone, meanwhile, faces a four-match suspension of his own — a double blow to a team already running short of depth after losses to Japan and New Zealand.
How to Watch and What Comes Next for Both Teams
Kickoff is at 18:10 local time in Perth (10:10 UTC) at HBF Park. Live Research notes free live streams are available across multiple regions including the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, and the United States, with VPN options for viewers watching from abroad. The match is Schmidt's 30th and final Test as Wallabies coach.
The loser in Perth finishes the southern series at the bottom of their pool. That result will shape momentum heading into the autumn European window — a critical stretch for both nations before World Cup qualification tightens. For Australia, a win would lift Schmidt's win rate above 36%, avoiding what Live Research calls the worst statistical record of any Wallabies head coach in the professional era. For Italy, a win away from home would be their first of the tournament and a significant statement ahead of Quesada's return.
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