Joe Schmidt's Wallabies must convert Lions momentum into wins

Joe Schmidt, left, and British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell shake hands before the third test match at Accor Stadium in Sydney. File picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

A year after plumbing new depths in the Rugby Championship, Australia head into the southern hemisphere tournament with renewed confidence after taking down the British & Irish Lions in the series finale.

Though beaten 2-1 by Andy Farrell's tourists, the Wallabies' 22-12 win in a Sydney deluge gave fans hope they're on the right trajectory two years out from hosting the 2027 World Cup.