Len Ikitau has given a stirring defence of Joe Schmidt's coaching in the wake of what Morgan Turinui described as the "poorest performance" of his Wallabies tenure.
Australia were stunned 26-19 by Italy in Udine on Sunday (AEDT) in a disturbingly flat and error-ridden showing.
The Wallabies have now lost five of their last six Tests with a scratchy 19-15 victory over Japan their only triumph in that bleak period.
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Schmidt, a former world coach of the year, inherited the team at a low ebb after Eddie Jones crashed out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in spectacular fashion.
The New Zealander cast a wide selection net and made steady improvements in the game's basics to guide the Wallabies back to respectability on the world stage.
But the gloss is coming off as Schmidt eyes a highly difficult final two games in charge before stepping aside and handing the reins to Les Kiss next year.
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The Wallabies, ranked seventh in the world, visit third-ranked Ireland in Dublin this weekend before finishing a demanding 15 game season against fifth-ranked France in Paris on November 23 (AEDT).
"All of the little inadequacies and inefficiencies came home to roost in that match," Turinui said on Stan Sport's Between Two Posts.
"That was the poorest performance of the Joe Schmidt coaching era at the Wallabies. I can't find one that was a lower ebb, it's the worst of this year for sure."
NEW PODCAST! James Slipper joins Sean Maloney and Morgan Turini to work out what went wrong for the Wallabies against Italy
Turinui said a lack of accuracy, discipline and intensity in Australia's attacking breakdown work – a key pillar of Schmidt's tactical blueprint – was noticeable in the recent decline.
The former Wallabies back added that the losses to Italy and England were also marred by the worst ball carrying performances of 2025.
"When they're a possession-based team, and when that's how they build everything they do, those two things are a huge area of concern, not because of the anomaly of this weekend, but because it is a downward trend to this point."
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There is a growing belief that opposition teams have worked out how to snuff out Australia's narrow, phase-based attacking system.
But the recently retired James Slipper argued that it was simply a matter of executing better – and harder – for longer.
"The shape's there, I just reckon we can do it a lot better," he said.
"And Joe will reinforce that. Looking at the game, we were very flat-footed, so we weren't running onto the ball… just that collision area, we've got to front up. The forwards have to get front foot ball for the backs to use that space and no doubt that would be a focal point for the team moving forward…
"At the moment it probably looks a little bit one dimensional, where you kind of know where the ball's going to go, but it'll always come down to being very square, really hard carry, and then that breakdown's got to be really urgent."
Schmidt will resume battle with his former Ireland assistant Andy Farrell this weekend after the ex-league star claimed 2-1 series bragging rights with the British and Irish Lions this year.
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He is set to call on John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau at Aviva Stadium after electing to leave the centre out of his 23 in Udine.
Ikitau, now with Exeter Chiefs, emerged as a Wallabies star under Schmidt after sensationally being left out of Jones' World Cup squad.
The 27-year-old went into bat for Schmidt during his media duties alongside assistant coach Tom Donnelly in Dublin on Wednesday (AEDT).
"Joe's been massive for us. Honestly, a lot of the boys in this group went to a World Cup and some boys didn't get to go to the World Cup," Ikitau said.
"I think he's kind of saved a couple of boys' careers, so I think all we want to do is give back to Joe and what better way to do that than putting a good performance.
"So just having those honest conversations with him have been good. He's one of the best coaches I've ever had, and I think we're going to miss him when he leaves."
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Wingers Max Jorgensen and Dylan Pietsch are also available for selection after missing the Italy defeat due to illness.
Five-eighth Carter Gordon and prop Angus Bell also trained in Dublin after picking up niggles at the weekend while veteran playmaker James O'Connor has also joined the squad.
But the Wallabies will be without talismanic lock Will Skelton after he injured his ankle playing for La Rochelle.
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