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Ryan Lonergan expects a comeback performance from the Wallabies this weekend, with the group left “super disappointed” by their 45-22 loss to England. Australia will look to snap a three-game losing streak when they face each other Scotland in the fifth Nations Championship round.
The Wallabies completed the first stage of the Nations Championship in July with a 47-point victory Italy in Perth, which was Joe Schmidt’s last game. Les Kiss then took over as head coach, overseeing four wins and a draw to start.
But after two nil the Bledisloe Cup series was over All black peopleand clinical victory from England in one of the most famous rugby stadiums in the world, the Wallabies have shifted their focus to what awaits them after arriving in Edinburgh.
“There’s a lot of inward looking going on at the moment,” Lonergan told reporters, as the Wallabies previewed England’s game that morning. The scrum half said the team had a “good honest view” of what they needed to improve.
“I’m sure there will be a big turnaround this week, throughout the week and then into the weekend,” predicted Lonergan.
“It’s disappointing. Everyone is super disappointed with how we turned out at the weekend and I’m sure the lads will be better.”
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson and coach Les Kiss spoke candidly after the game, after the Australians conceded at least 43 points for the third Test in a row. Kiss admitted there is work to be done as the group looks to turn around this losing streak.
Lonergan scored from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, but England otherwise controlled the first half. The hosts were firmly in control before Max Jorgensen picked out a pass, racing to a crucial score just before half-time.
Filipo Daugunu and Jeremy Williams crashed over for tries in the second half, but as Wilson admitted just after full-time, it was “too little, too late”. The Wallabies conceded more penalties, had less possession and territory and missed more tackles than England over the 80 minutes.
“I think it’s easy to come out of a game like that and look at a million things and look at everything that went wrong, but we’ve made a point of sticking to the big rocks that we know make the big difference in those games,” Lonergan said.
“We probably just missed most of them. England really beat us in those areas and that makes a huge difference.”
“There are technical things, but there’s also the speed with which we do those things. I think England beat us in most of them.”
