Wallabies close Joe Schmidt era with 57-10 Italy rout

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Australia beat Italy 57-10 in Perth on Saturday, closing the Joe Schmidt era with the kind of performance that complicates any simple verdict on his time in charge. The Guardian's Daniel Gallan framed the match as one of the Wallabies' finest meals just as the departing coach handed back the keys, with Australia producing a precise and powerful display.

The clearest individual marker was Josh Canham's hat-trick. The source describes the home side as sharp and controlled, sweeping Italy aside in a result that worked both as a tribute to Schmidt and as a reminder of why his tenure has been difficult to judge. Australia showed a higher ceiling, but the wider question is why that level has not been repeatable every week.

Why it matters:

The result lands as more than a one-off win because it arrives at a coaching handover. Schmidt leaves behind a Wallabies group the source describes as deeper and more experienced, while also noting that Australia's lack of forwards remains a problem. That combination matters: the squad looks more repaired than finished.

For fans assessing tournament prospects, the 57-10 scoreline should be read in two layers. The first is straightforward: Australia produced a dominant win over Italy. The second is structural: one strong performance does not erase the forward-depth concern that may define how durable this rebuild is against heavier opposition.

Tournament impact:

This is the kind of result that can reset external expectations quickly, especially when it comes at the end of a coaching chapter. It gives the incoming setup under Kiss, referenced by The Guardian's headline, something better than vague optimism: a recent blueprint showing precision, power and finishing. But it also creates pressure, because supporters have now seen what a more complete Wallabies display can look like.

The forwards question is the competitive hinge. If the group Schmidt leaves can hold up physically and retain the precision shown in Perth, Australia have a stronger platform than the worst moments of the era suggested. If the lack of forwards bites again, the Italy win may look more like a high point than a baseline.

What to watch:

Canham's hat-trick gives selectors and analysts a concrete performance to revisit, while Lonergan is also presented by the source headline as part of Schmidt's parting gift to the next regime. The immediate follow-up is how Kiss uses that deeper, more experienced group and whether the Wallabies can reproduce the Perth standard against stronger or more disruptive opponents.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Australia beat Italy 57-10 in Perth, Josh Canham scored a hat-trick, Schmidt's tenure ended with a strong performance, and forward depth remains a concern. The exact tactical patterns, selection plans under Kiss and long-term squad pecking order are not confirmed in the supplied material.