Wallabies Coach Schmidt Refutes England Illegal Tactics Claims After Twickenham Loss

Following Australia's 25-7 defeat to England at Twickenham, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt dismissed claims from England coach Steve Borthwick that Australia used illegal side-entry tactics at the breakdown, calling it "a bit of gamesmanship." Schmidt backed his rebuttal with statistics, noting Australia had over 1,256 attacking rucks involving approximately 25,000 player entries this year, with only one yellow card and no injuries resulting from their cleanouts. Both Schmidt and captain Harry Wilson rejected the allegations, emphasizing they did not affect the game's officiating. Despite Australia's heavy travel schedule, including a recent match in Japan, Schmidt refused to use it as an excuse for their lackluster performance, instead praising England's intensity, ball-carrying, and bench strength, particularly the presence of six British and Irish Lions. He acknowledged the challenge of building similar depth in the Australian squad and stressed the importance of continuous improvement as they prepare for their next match against Italy. Overall, Schmidt expressed pride in his team's resilience despite the loss and disappointment in the pre-match mind games.