Australia Crush Italy 57-10 to End Schmidt Era

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Australia beat Italy 57-10 in Perth, a nine-try rout that ended the Wallabies’ six-game losing streak and closed Joe Schmidt’s time as coach with a emphatic win. The Guardian report says the result also kickstarted Australia’s Nations Championship campaign with a first victory.

Why it matters:

The scoreline changes the mood around Australia immediately. A team that had been stuck in a losing run did not just edge out a response; it overwhelmed a top-10 opponent that had reason to believe it could cause problems. The source notes Italy had shocked Australia in 2022 and 2025, so this was not framed as a routine mismatch going in. Instead, Australia turned a potentially uncomfortable farewell Test into a clean handover moment.

Match shape:

The report’s strongest signal is the scale of the performance. Australia scored nine tries and held Italy to 10 points. Josh Canham is named in the headline as a leading figure, but the supplied source summary does not provide his try count, minute-by-minute details, or a full scoring list, so those specifics should not be filled in beyond what is confirmed.

Tournament impact:

For the Nations Championship, the value is twofold. First, Australia have a win on the board. Second, the margin suggests a team capable of turning pressure into scoreboard control rather than merely surviving it. In tournament terms, that matters because points differential and confidence can both become part of the campaign story, depending on the format and later results.

The broader Australian context is the 2027 World Cup. The Guardian frames the performance as a glimpse of what incoming coach Les Kiss inherits. That does not make Australia a finished contender, and one big win cannot erase a six-match losing streak on its own. But it gives the next coaching setup a more useful starting point: evidence that the squad can still produce a dominant Test when the game breaks their way.

Italy’s side of the result:

Italy arrived after a 47-17 loss to the All Blacks, and coach Gonzalo Quesada was suspended by World Rugby after calling French referee Luc Ramos “super poor.” The source says Italy were still expected to trouble Australia, given recent wins in the matchup. Instead, they “walked into an ambush.” That makes this a damaging result for Italy’s campaign rhythm, especially because the issue was not only defeat but the size of the gap.

What to watch:

Australia’s next test is repeatability. A farewell performance can carry extra emotional charge, but the Nations Championship will judge whether this was a reset or a one-off release. For Italy, the follow-up is defensive repair and restoring authority after consecutive heavy defeats.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Australia beat Italy 57-10 in Perth, scored nine tries, ended a six-game losing streak, and opened their Nations Championship campaign with a win in Joe Schmidt’s farewell Test. Still needing follow-up: full scoring details, injuries or selections, and the standings implications after other Nations Championship results.