Wallabies coach Schmidt latest to throw support behind ANZAC Day Bledisloe

Thu, May 14, 2026, 10:43 PM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has endorsed the concept of an ANZAC Day Bledisloe Cup match, believing it'd be the perfect start for an expanded three-Test series.

The concept is continuing to garner support, with both sides of the Tasman seemingly more on board than ever.

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New Zealand Rugby recently came out in support of the proposal, which would see the two sides face off on April 25 for the first time ever in Men's Tests.

The success of the Wallaroos and Black Ferns last month only adds to Schmidt's excitement around the idea, attracting a strong crowd on the Sunshine Coast.

"How good would that be? I'd love to see that," Schmidt told reporters.

"They had the Wallaroos and the Black Ferns so imagine a doubleheader where both teams go at it. We are the ANZAC Nations and it would set the Bledisloe up really well, I think, into a three-match series. It would be a really good early-season taste for international footy in an isolated window there."

Schmidt didn't think it would be too detrimental to the domestic season, having coached at the Blues as an assistant whilst placing emphasis previously on picking local players for the Wallabies, which would likely be the necessity for a concept like this.

"I do think the Super clubs could work around it, having coached a lot in the Northern Hemisphere, where they have three bites of the cherry during the season, whereas our season is very much split first half Super, second half international," he believes.

"I think the players would adapt and teams would adapt to that. I'd love to see it happen, to be honest."

The question then turns to where to host the inaugural match if it is greenlit, with Perth and Brisbane among the leading contenders.

Schmidt was open to the game being held in the west, which hosted last year's Bledisloe Cup and will be the city where the ex-Ireland boss departs the Wallabies set-up against Italy in July.

"Part of it was that we were so close last year in that Bledisloe Cup game. We know we're going to get good support. We know they're going to get good support," he added.

"I think Optus is a super stadium. It's vocal and unbelievably, the first time we played here, I was shocked at just how much water can fall out of the sky. I don't know if you remember the storm, but it was horrifically wet. It wasn't what I expected in Perth, but last year was a lot more like Perth normally is.

"I think you get to play a really good brand of rugby in Perth because the conditions are conducive to open rugby."

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