Australia Rugby, Wales Have 'Incredible Parallels': Don't Miss This Match
Australia Rugby, Wales Have 'Incredible Parallels': Don't Miss This Match
Australia Rugby has a new coach and faces a nation in a similar rebuilding phase. Here's why to watch Australia vs. Wales on FloRugby.
Australia Rugby hasn’t beaten a Northern Hemisphere team Down Under in more than two years, and the Wallabies will try to climb out of a rut the national team has found itself in since the end of 2022.
That climbing could start against a Wales team that is focused on the future, as the Wallabies host Wales at 5:40 a.m. EDT on July 6 at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park, Australia.
That match is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app. Replays also will be available on both platforms.
Joe Schmidt, the former Irish Rugby national coach, takes over after a tumultuous run by Eddie Jones that saw a disastrous performance from Australia in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
- Subscribe To FloRugby To Watch International Rugby All Summer Long
- Rugby Fixture Streaming Schedule On FloRugby
- The Highest-Paid Rugby Player Is Finn Russell, But Who's In The Top 10?
"Joe Schmidt is now (the head coach) - he's cool, calm and collected,” said FloRugby reporter and analyst Philip Bendon. “He is the polar opposite to Eddie. Actually, you could not pick two more different coaches. Joe is a master tactician."
"He's the reason New Zealand beat Ireland at the Rugby World Cup last year,” Bendon added.
The 58-year-old coach led Ireland from 2013-2019, before the native of New Zealand returned to the Southern Hemisphere.
In 2022, he joined the staff of the New Zealand All Blacks as an assistant, before taking over the Wallabies in 2024.
“Obviously, as Ireland's former coach, he's renowned for drawing up strike plays and having a highly efficient team, possibly lacking spark sometimes,” Bendon said. “Australia will turn around quite quickly."
But that won’t be easy.
“They've got a lot of work to do in terms of their infrastructure as a union,“ Bendon said. “They're losing players left, right and center to the European League, Japanese League and also to National Rugby League.”
Wales Rugby, Wallabies In Similar Place
Wales is in a similar situation, Bendon said.
Coming off a golden era of rugby, fellow Kiwi and a Wales coaching legend Warren Gatland returned to lead the national team in 2022.
He’s found it a tougher job than anticipated, and Bendon said Gatland is willing to suffer through the growing pains for the next several international seasons.
“It's incredible, the parallels between Australia and Wales, right?” Bendon said. “They're both fiercely territorial in terms of their regions. They don't always get on the same page. And as such, the infrastructure has not been great.
“Both unions have had a big sweep out, big clean out where they've kind of tried to modernize and catch up to the likes of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and England.”
But Bendon has faith in both coaches.
“I think for Wales, Gatland coming back, like Schmidt, will rebuild them," Bendon said.
Here’s what to know about the Australia vs. Wales match:
Where To Watch Australia Vs. Wales Rugby In The United States
The match is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app. Match replays, highlights and breaking news will be available on both platforms.
Wallabies Vs. Wales Rugby Kickoff Time
The match kick off time is 5:45 a.m. EDT at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park, Australia.
How To Watch Australia Vs. Wales Rugby Match Replay
Aren't getting up early for the match? Match replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms.
Australia World Rugby Ranking
The Wallabies are ranked No. 9 in the world with 77.48 points.
Wales World Rugby Ranking
Wales is ranked No. 10 in the world with 77.26 points.
When Was The Last Time Australia Rugby Played Wales? Watch The Match
The two nations met in Nov. 26, 2022 in Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and the Wallabies beat Wales 39-34.
Australia Rugby Schedule 2024
- July 6: Australia vs. Wales, Allianz Stadium, 5:45 a.m. EDT
- July 13: Australia vs. Wales, AAMI Park, 5:45 a.m. EDT
- July 20: Australia vs. Georgia, Allianz Stadium, 1:45 a.m. EDT
- August 9: Australia vs. South Africa, Suncorp Stadium, 12:30 a.m. EDT (August 10)
- August 17: Australia vs. South Africa, Optus Stadium, 5:45 a.m. EDT
- August 31: Argentina vs. Australia, Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, 3 p.m. EDT
- September 7: Argentina vs. Australia, Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López, 3 p.m. EDT
- September 21: Australia vs. New Zealand, Accor Stadium, 1:45 a.m. EDT
- September 28: New Zealand vs. Australia, Sky Stadium, 3:05 a.m. EDT
- November 9: England vs. Australia, Twickenham, 10:10 a.m. EST
- November 17: Wales vs. Australia, Principality Stadium, 11:10 a.m. EST
- November 24: Scotland vs. Australia, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, 8:40 a.m. EST
- November 30: Ireland vs. Australia, Aviva Stadium, 10:10 a.m. EST
Wales Rugby Schedule 2024
- June 22: South Africa 41, Wales 13
- July 6: Wales vs. Australia, Allianz Stadium, 5:45 a.m. EDT, Test Match
- July 13: Wales vs. Australia, AAMI Park, 5:45 a.m. EDT, Test Match
- Nov. 10: Wales vs. Fiji, Principality Stadium, 8:40 a.m. EST, Autumn Nations Series
- Nov. 17: Wales vs. Australia, Principality Stadium, 11:10 a.m. EST, Autumn Nations Series
- Nov. 23: Wales vs. South Africa, Principality Stadium, 12:40 p.m. EST, Autumn Nations Series
World Rugby Rankings On July 1
Here are the latest rankings from World Rugby:
- South Africa, 94.54
- Ireland, 90.69
- New Zealand, 89.80
- France, 87.92
- England, 85.75
- Scotland, 82.82
- Argentina, 80.68
- Italy, 79.41
- Australia, 77.48
- Wales, 77.26
How To Watch Rugby Matches In the United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.