Live: Wallabies desperate to send Schmidt out a winner against Italy

live Wallabies vs Italy Nations Championship Test in Perth — live blog, score and stats Coach Joe Schmidt takes charge of the Wallabies for the last time, with Italy standing in the way of a victorious farewell in Perth. Follow our live blog. Submit a comment or question Live updates Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 5:36pm Wallabies vs Italy: live score Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 7:31pm Who's playing for the Wallabies? Speaking of Joe Schmidt, he has made changes to his matchday squad for the Italy Test following last Saturday's 42-26 loss to France in Brisbane. Most notable among the tweaks is Carlo Tizzano starting at openside flanker, with Fraser McReight relegated to the reserves bench. Declan Meredith has been retained at fly half, while lock Miles Amatosero is a chance to make his Test debut as a reserve. The Wallabies' matchday squad is as follows: 15. Tom Wright 14. Max Jorgensen 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 12. Len Ikitau 11. Harry Potter 10. Declan Meredith 9. Ryan Lonergan 8. Harry Wilson (C) 7. Carlo Tizzano 6. Rob Valetini 5. Jeremy Williams 4. Josh Canham 3. Allan Alaalatoa 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa 1. Angus Bell Reserves: 16. Billy Pollard 17. James Slipper 18. Zane Nonggorr 19. Miles Amatosero 20. Fraser McReight 21. Tate McDermott 22. Ben Donaldson 23. Filipo Daugunu Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 7:25pm Schmidt's farewell In case you've been living under a rock, this evening's Test is Joe Schmidt's final match in charge of the Wallabies. The drawn-out transitional phase will finally end, with Les Kiss soon to take the reins. How will Schmidt be remembered as Wallabies boss? It'll be a complicated legacy as his win-loss record as coach can't be ignored. Ahead of the Italy Test, Schmidt has won only 11 of 30 Tests with the Wallabies. Defeat against Italy would mean he finishes with the worst winning percentage of any Wallabies coach in the professional era. It must be acknowledged Schmidt had to pick up the pieces after the Wallabies' disastrous 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, when they failed to advance from the pool stage under then-coach Eddie Jones. He took over a squad experiencing a crisis of confidence. There have been famous wins during Schmidt's tenure, such as the 38-22 triumph over the Springboks at Ellis Park last August, and the 42-37 upset of England at Twickenham in 2024. But consistency has been lacking, with the Wallabies losing nine of their past 10 Tests. A win over Italy will at least give Schmidt a positive note to end his time as Wallabies coach. Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 6:00pm Welcome! Hello there! Welcome to ABC Sport's digital coverage of the Wallabies vs Italy Nations Championship Test in Perth. I'm Luke Pentony and it's my pleasure to be joining you for what promises to be an intriguing encounter in the west. We're still an hour from kick-off but make sure to stick with us this evening!