Australia can be competitive at 2027 Rugby World Cup, says ex-Wallaby David Lyons

SINGAPORE – Once rugby powerhouses, two-time world champions Australia have found themselves in a rut in recent years.

At the 2023 World Cup, the Wallabies suffered a pool-stage exit for the first time, before slipping to a record low of 10th in the world rankings.

Coach Eddie Jones resigned in October 2023, just 10 months into his five-year contract, and was replaced by former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, who was appointed in January.

Under Schmidt, world No. 9 Australia lost five of their six Rugby Championship matches in August and September, prompting former Wallaby David Lyons to say that it will take time for the team to regain their international standing.

Lyons, who featured at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups, told The Straits Times: “It’s a long way to go to be back in the top two in the world, but there are signs that we can be back in the top five or six in the world, and that would be a good goal to start with.”

The 44-year-old is in Singapore for the 75th Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens tournament at the Padang on Nov 9 and 10.

Ex-British and Irish Lion John Bentley, 58, is also in the Republic for the tournament, which involves teams from Fiji, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Britain, Singapore and Papua New Guinea.

The tournament’s chairman Raj Sankaran is looking forward to growing the event, saying: “We’ve always seen ourselves as a tournament where future talent will get to showcase their abilities at an early stage...

“We’ve once again reaffirmed our commitment to showcasing rugby in its other forms – we have wheelchair rugby and women’s rugby this year... Going forward, it is something we’ll look to expand.”

With Australia hosting the World Cup in 2027, Lyons believes they have what it takes to be “competitive” in front of a home crowd.

“With the new coaching group in, they’ve tried a lot of players this year and now’s the time to focus on what’s your best team and give them time together to develop combinations,” said Lyons, who played 46 Tests for Australia.

The standard-bearers of world rugby now are South Africa, who have won the last two editions of the World Cup, with Lyons lauding their consistency and calling the Springboks “an exceptionally good side”.

Bentley agreed, saying: “They’ve got an amazing set-up, they’ve set the benchmark very high. It’s always very physical against the South Africans.”

While international rugby union continues to capture the attention of a global audience, Lyons hopes that the ongoing initiatives to lower the risks of concussions in the high-contact sport will allay fears over safety issues.

In December 2023, it was reported that English World Cup winner Phil Vickery and former Wales centre Gavin Henson were among 295 ex-players taking legal action against World Rugby, England’s Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union after suffering symptoms of brain injuries.

Recent measures to make the sport safer for players include the professional rugby league in Britain lowering the legal tackle height to below the armpit from 2025, while the World Rugby Council approved in May 2023 a recommendation that unions participate in trials of a lower tackle height in community rugby.

Pointing to the policing of high-tackle rules, Lyons said: “That’s a good thing and there’s also a lot more research and better protocols in place when you get head knocks now. In the long term, we’ll continue to see that improve.”

There have also been concerns over the financial sustainability of the sport, with an independent financial industry report showing that seven out of the 10 English Premiership clubs are balance sheet insolvent, prompting calls for change as the sport faces challenges such as falling broadcast revenue.

Calling it a worry, Bentley highlighted the importance of making the sport appealing, adding: “For young people, there’s a lot more things to do right now than play rugby. If you do well with your rugby, you can have all that as well – it’s got to be attractive to young people.”