CONSISTENCY is key for Joe Schmidt as the former Ireland head coach sets about rebuilding the Wallabies ahead of next year’s visit of the Lions.
The ex-Leinster chief replaced Eddie Jones following Australia’s disastrous showing at last year’s World Cup.
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Schmidt, 58, said: “Being competitive one week hasn’t necessarily materialised into being competitive the next.
“Driving that consistency of performance is massively important. You don’t have to be too far off to suddenly not be on the right side of the ledger at the end of the game.
“Being able to nail big moments at the finish has been a challenge for the Wallabies in recent years.
“I’ve had some experiences with teams who haven’t quite nailed those big moments, so it’s trying to build your mindset where you can stay process-driven through those periods with consistency.”
The New Zealander’s first game is against Wales in July, before the Rugby Championship begins in August.
Australia then travel north for the autumn series, which culminates in a November 30 clash against his former assistant Andy Farrell at the Aviva Stadium.
Schmidt will give Australia-based players priority as his experience in Ireland taught him that the best combinations were often forged in provincial teams.
He added: “If everyone is available here, you would not have to go too far anywhere else.
“We want to be as competitive as we can when the Lions arrive, that’s my massive target, the pinnacle event.”
