The Australian Wallabies are determined to end their losing streak as they prepare to face France in a crucial Test match at Lang Park, Brisbane. The team is on the brink of equaling a 10-year low, having not lost six consecutive Tests since 2016. A defeat against the world number four side and back-to-back Six Nations champions would mark their sixth straight loss.

Skipper Harry Wilson has emphasized the need for victory following a narrow 33-31 loss to Ireland in the Nations Championship in Sydney. The Wallabies have managed just one win in their last 10 matches—a narrow 19-15 victory over Japan in Tokyo—dating back to a last-minute win against Argentina in Townsville last September.

The team has endured a challenging period with injuries affecting key players. Last week in Sydney, Ben Donaldson missed a kick after the siren that could have won the game, following a disappointing 0-4 tour of Europe. Due to calf injuries to playmakers Carter Gordon and Donaldson, Declan Meredith will make his debut at flyhalf (number 10) for the hosts.

Lock Emmanuel Meafou, who played alongside Wilson, Fraser McReight, and prop Taniela Tupou at Brothers, chose rugby over a spot in the NFL's global academy and now plays for Toulouse in France, having debuted for the French national team last year. Meanwhile, Tom Staniforth, formerly of the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies, moved to France in 2021 and recently made his Test debut against the All Blacks, impressing with his fluent French.

Wilson and teammates acknowledge the urgency to convert promising moments into wins. "We know we need to win. We had a few good moments, but that's not good enough, we have to start icing them," Wilson said. The team is "definitely bothered" by the losing streak and is focused on securing victory, rejecting any satisfaction with merely being competitive.

Meredith, a boy from Cairns playing in his home state, has been described as "very level-headed and excited," with strong backing from the team. "We back him, we believe in him," Wilson added.

The Wallabies' recent form includes a tight 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions, a historic win and narrow loss in a South African double-header, and a victory in north Queensland. However, injuries have increasingly hampered the squad's performance.

The upcoming match against France is pivotal for the Wallabies to avoid matching their worst losing streak in a decade and to regain momentum in international rugby.

Sources