With the British & Irish Lions heading south this year and a home World Cup to look forward to in 2027, there seems to be far too much uncertainty surrounding the Wallabies with these major events on the horizon.
From the head coach Joe Schmidt to some big names currently in the Australia set-up, contract speculation seems to be the major talking point when it comes to the Wallabies right now.
After a hectic schedule from the 2024 Rugby Championship to the tour of Europe, Schmidt and his players have been able to enjoy a well-deserved rest.
But without the focus of matches to prep for, take part in and react to, the absence of action on the field has left a void which has been filled by the topic of contract talks for key figures in the Wallabies set-up.
With Schmidt’s current contract set to expire after the British & Irish Lions tour, a series Australia are 2.62 to win, the powers that be are eager to remove the uncertainty regarding the Kiwi coach’s future with the Wallabies.
While the 2024 Rugby Championship was a baptism of fire for Schmidt in the new role, there were signs in the Autumn Nations Series that the Wallabies are moving in the right direction under his leadership.
Positives were certainly taken from wins over England and Wales, while defeats to Scotland and Ireland showed there are still areas for improvement.
Schmidt initially signed a short-term contract due to family reasons but, with improvement being witnessed on the field, the powers that be with the Wallabies are believed to be keen on getting the coach signed up until at least after the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Sorting this contract is a major piece of the puzzle, with many Australia players potentially waiting on the news before making decisions about their own futures.
With the lure of big money moves to Europe or Japan, a number of Wallabies stars will be wanting clarification on the head coach position before making their own decisions on club contracts.
Fraser McReight, Len Ikitau, Noah Lolesio, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou and Tom Wright will all see their contracts expire at the end of this season and there will be no shortage of interest in these stars both home and abroad.
All were important players under Schmidt in 2024 and they most likely are keen to see the New Zealander commit his future to the Wallabies beyond this year’s Lions tour.
Things are rarely dull when it comes to the Wallabies and even when there is no rugby to be played there still seems to be plenty of intrigue.
The next few weeks and months should provide a clearer picture on how the Wallabies will look, going into a highly-anticipated home World Cup in 2027 that they are 8.00 to win.
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.