{"1070":{"title":"Rugby World Cup","uri":"rugby-world-cup","id":"111","oid":"210","ovid":"1070","order":0,"hasData":1},"1491":{"title":"Rugby's Greatest Rivalry","uri":"rugbys-greatest-rivalry","id":"1491","oid":"1491","ovid":"1491","order":1,"hasData":1},"0":{"title":"Autumn Nations Series","uri":"autumn-nations-series","id":"124","oid":"365","ovid":"0","order":31,"hasData":1},"2146":{"title":"Nations Championship","uri":"nations-championship","id":"114","oid":"114","ovid":"2146","order":3,"hasData":1},"1034":{"title":"World Rugby Junior World Championship","uri":"world-rugby-u20-championship","id":"216","oid":"216","ovid":"1034","order":5,"hasData":1},"1008":{"title":"Investec Champions Cup","uri":"european-champions-cup","id":"110","oid":"242","ovid":"1008","order":6,"hasData":1},"1026":{"title":"Challenge Cup","uri":"challenge-cup","id":"118","oid":"243","ovid":"1026","order":7,"hasData":1},"1020":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby","id":"104","oid":"205","ovid":"1020","order":8,"hasData":1},"1011":{"title":"PREM Rugby","uri":"premiership","id":"101","oid":"201","ovid":"1011","order":9,"hasData":1},"1068":{"title":"United Rugby Championship","uri":"united-rugby-championship","id":"138","oid":"204","ovid":"1068","order":10,"hasData":1},"1002":{"title":"TOP 14","uri":"top-14","id":"102","oid":"203","ovid":"1002","order":11,"hasData":1},"1013":{"title":"Pro D2","uri":"pro-d2","id":"211","oid":"211","ovid":"1013","order":12,"hasData":1},"2062":{"title":"International","uri":"internationals","id":"107","oid":"3","ovid":"2062","order":13,"hasData":1},"2066":{"title":"Women's Internationals","uri":"womens-internationals","id":"274","oid":"274","ovid":"2066","order":14,"hasData":1},"1095":{"title":"PWR","uri":"premiership-womens-rugby","id":"127","oid":"340","ovid":"1095","order":17,"hasData":1},"1174":{"title":"Major League Rugby","uri":"major-league-rugby","id":"131","oid":"151","ovid":"1174","order":18,"hasData":1},"1106":{"title":"Women's Six Nations","uri":"womens-six-nations","id":"125","oid":"248","ovid":"1106","order":19,"hasData":1},"1055":{"title":"Six Nations","uri":"six-nations","id":"108","oid":"209","ovid":"1055","order":20,"hasData":1},"1062":{"title":"U20 Six Nations","uri":"u20-six-nations","id":"217","oid":"217","ovid":"1062","order":21,"hasData":1},"2070":{"title":"Pacific Four Series","uri":"pacific-four-series","id":"120","oid":"120","ovid":"2070","order":22,"hasData":1},"1001":{"title":"Hilux NPC","uri":"bunnings-npc","id":"105","oid":"208","ovid":"1001","order":23,"hasData":1},"1039":{"title":"Currie Cup","uri":"currie-cup","id":"106","oid":"207","ovid":"1039","order":24,"hasData":1},"1171":{"title":"Women's Rugby World Cup","uri":"womens-rugby-world-cup","id":"126","oid":"249","ovid":"1171","order":25,"hasData":1},"1119":{"title":"Rugby Europe Championship","uri":"rugby-europe-championship","id":"269","oid":"269","ovid":"1119","order":27,"hasData":1},"1535":{"title":"British & Irish Lions 2025","uri":"british-irish-lions","id":"113","oid":"221","ovid":"1535","order":28,"hasData":1},"1053":{"title":"The Rugby Championship","uri":"the-rugby-championship","id":"109","oid":"214","ovid":"1053","order":29,"hasData":1},"1260":{"title":"Pacific Nations Cup","uri":"pacific-nations-cup","id":"219","oid":"219","ovid":"1260","order":30,"hasData":1},"2151":{"title":"WXV Global Series","uri":"wxv","id":"144","oid":"144","ovid":"2151","order":33,"hasData":1},"2096":{"title":"WXV 2","uri":"wxv-2","id":"863","oid":"863","ovid":"2096","order":36,"hasData":1},"2097":{"title":"WXV 3","uri":"wxv-3","id":"864","oid":"864","ovid":"2097","order":37,"hasData":1},"1297":{"title":"Premiership Cup","uri":"premiership-cup","id":"116","oid":"116","ovid":"1297","order":39,"hasData":1}}

Connolly merely 'satisfied' with big win

'We have to play a lot better than that'

Australia coach John Connolly declaring himself merely "satisfied" with his side's emphatic 34-3 victory over England in Sydney on Sunday.

The new Wallaby boss believes that there is a great deal of room for improvement and hinted that he would be making changes for the second Test, to be played in Melbourne on Saturday.

"We were very rusty," he said.

"We continually turned the ball over in the first half, but a lot more positives came out if it than negatives. It was a jump into the unknown, with a new coaching team.

"I think we will improve on that performance. There is a sense of relief, and I thought the players responded well, but we realise we have to play a lot better than that.

"History shows that Australia in the first Test of the year is a bit rusty. We will have to be considerably better going into the Tri-Nations.

"We are satisfied with the result, but we know we can play so much better.

"We've got some ideas what we would like to do next weekend.

"These are incredibly important Tests for us to broaden our squad – we are very conscious with the World Cup next year of building a strong squad."

Australia skipper George Gregan, who won a record-equalling 119th Test cap on Sunday, was equally phlegmatic in victory.

"It's a starting point," he said.

"We're not getting ahead of ourselves – but it was a good, positive start."

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Has Beauden Barrett Just Secured His World Cup Place? | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 36

KOKO Show | 13 October 2026 | WALLABIES BROUGHT CRASHING BACK TO EARTH! All Blacks Deliver Bledisloe Reality Check!

What Rugby Fans Don't See: Ben O'Keeffe on Life Under Pressure | ARP Extra

What Did the All Blacks’ Big Win Prove? | Episode 35 | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

Canada v England | WXV Global Series

MLR Weekly: New England Owner Errik Anderson re expansion/future, MLR News, College Rugby Corner

Spain v South Africa | WXV Global Series 2026 | Match Highlights

Chile v Hong Kong China | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Belgium v Portugal | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Write A Comment