Honeymoon Over for Kiss as Wallabies Crash Again

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 20, 2026

The Australian Wallabies have endured their 13th consecutive loss to New Zealand’s All Blacks, including a 43-21 defeat in Sydney, marking their heaviest two-match series loss under coach Les Kiss. This streak raises serious concerns about Australia’s competitiveness ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup at home, with injuries and form issues challenging their ability to close the gap on their rivals.

The Australian national rugby team, the Wallabies, have suffered consecutive heavy defeats at the hands of New Zealand’s All Blacks, raising concerns about their readiness ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil. Under the leadership of coach Les Kiss, the Wallabies have encountered a challenging period, including a recent 43-21 loss at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on October 17, marking their 13th straight defeat to their trans-Tasman rivals.

Kiss had initially received positive attention following an unbeaten start in his first five Tests. However, the recent outcomes underscore the considerable gap Australia must address before hosting the World Cup. The 53-point aggregate loss over the two-Test series in 2026 represents the worst margin for any Australian coach in a two-game series against New Zealand, surpassing the previous record of 44 points set in 1996.

New Zealand secured the Bledisloe Cup for a 24th consecutive year after their victory at Eden Park, further diminishing Australia’s stature as serious contenders on the international stage. Commentators have suggested that the Wallabies’ recent performances indicate a significant downturn, with one rugby journalist remarking that "the bubble has well and truly burst."

Injuries have compromised Australia’s lineup, particularly in key positions such as the centres and fly-half, which impeded their competitiveness in Sydney. Despite similar challenges faced by New Zealand coach Dave Rennie due to absences of prominent players like hooker Asafo Aumua and fly-halves Richie Mo’unga and Ruben Love, the All Blacks maintained a dominant edge. Previous coaches, including Joe Schmidt and Eddie Jones, also struggled against New Zealand, failing to reverse the trend of Australian losses.

Kiss’ squad selection for the upcoming series of Nations Championship fixtures against England, Scotland, and Wales in November is expected to draw close scrutiny. The Wallabies will benefit from the return of Len Ikitau to midfield duties for their opening match against England at Twickenham on November 8. Additionally, fly-half Ben Donaldson is expected to be available following recovery from an upper leg injury, although first-choice fly-half Carter Gordon remains sidelined with a broken leg sustained in September.

Kiss expressed satisfaction with the performance of rookie fly-half Declan Meredith, who stepped in during the recent Bledisloe Cup test. “I think that’s a really good positive to come out of the game, to see what Declan did,” Kiss said. Further reinforcement could come from overseas-based players unavailable for the recent tests, including loose forward Tom Hooper and prop Taniela Tupou.

Lock forward Will Skelton, an integral figure in Kiss’ World Cup plans, remains sidelined as he continues rehabilitation from an Achilles injury and is unlikely to participate in the November fixtures. As the Wallabies prepare for their European tour, pressure mounts on Kiss and his coaching staff to deliver improved results to regain competitive momentum ahead of the next Rugby World Cup cycle.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.