Australian rugby’s most costly weakness is hiding in plain sight

April 2, 2026 — 7:35pm

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In the final game of this year’s Six Nations Championship, with the clock in the red, France five-eighth Thomas Ramos lined up a long-range penalty not only to win the match, against England, but also to clinch his country’s second successive title.

Despite the impossible tension of the moment, Ramos laughed with the confidence of a man who kicks at a success rate of over 84 per cent – before calmly slotting the ball between the posts.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt could only watch on in envy. Australia have long lacked a truly reliable place kicker, and Wallabies great Matt Burke believes it has become something of a forgotten art Down Under.

The former five-eighth said rediscovering reliability from the tee is paramount if the Wallabies are to maximise their chances at next year’s World Cup. “If you can get a kicker running at 75 per cent or better, it gives you great comfort,” Burke said. “It’s a bit like Moneyball – you must take the points on offer, especially in Test rugby.”

Gordon without the kicking tee

Carter Gordon’s early-season Super Rugby form for the Reds underlined his credentials as a Wallabies five-eighth. Gordon provides physicality in defence, a long-range passing game to open the opposition defence and a dangerous running game. The glaring issue is that he is still not place-kicking.

On the Wallabies’ November tour, his........

© The Age