“I Told You This Joe Schmidt Was Useless” Campese Tells Obscure Rugby Podcast After Narrow Wallabies Loss In Cape Town

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Wallabies legend David Campese has reversed his praise of Joe Schmidt, declaring the national coach “useless” in the wake of Australia’s 30-22 defeat to South Africa in Cape Town.

The comments were made on ბორჯღალოსნების ხმები (Voices of the Borjgalosnebi), a little-known Georgian rugby podcast streamed out of Tbilisi, where Campese argued that Schmidt’s style was unfit for Australian rugby.

“I told you this Joe Schmidt was useless,” Campese said.

“Back home people think I’m too harsh, but if he tried that game plan in Kutaisi on a wet Saturday against Aia, they’d run him out of town before the first scrum.”

His remarks were translated live into Georgian by the hosts, one of whom responded with “თუ კამპესე ამბობს, სიმართლეა” (if Campese says it, it must be true.)

The intervention follows a week in which Campese had publicly softened his criticism of Schmidt after the Wallabies pulled off a historic 38-22 victory in Johannesburg. That result ended a 62-year Ellis Park drought, with Australia overturning a 22-0 deficit in what Campese described at the time as “the sweetest humble pie I’ve ever eaten.”

However, injuries to Tom Wright, Nic White and Joseph Suaalii contributed to the Wallabies falling short in Cape Town, with Handre Pollard’s perfect kicking and a late Eben Etzebeth try sealing victory for the Springboks.

Campese told the Georgians that the turnaround from historic triumph to familiar defeat proved Schmidt had no answers.

“One week you think maybe he’s cracked it,” he said.

“The next week you realise nothing has changed.”

The Wallabies return home to prepare for Tests against Argentina, while Voices of the Borjgalosnebi has already confirmed Campese will appear again to provide further analysis, including, reportedly, a comparison of Schmidt’s tactics to Georgia’s under-14 development squad in Batumi.

More to come.