Australia had a spring in their step in Sydney but walked away with one of the more woeful implosions of recent years
The Wallabies’ trajectory this year has been, like their namesake, steadfastly up and down. Every ascent – the courageous 14-man win in Perth against England, the pounding of the Pumas in Mendoza, the demolition of South Africa in Adelaide – has been followed by a thud, as they come back to earth the following Test with a crushing defeat after a glorious victory.
The inconsistency is infuriating for fans who crave momentum and want to see progress heading to next year’s World Cup on 8 September – now 12 Tests and 12 months away. But the Wallabies have not won two consecutive Tests since 18 September, 2021. That was a return-bout knockout of South Africa, and the chance to repeat it left town on Saturday night when the Australians left the new Allianz Stadium with their tail between their legs.
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