Schmidt 'very proud' of Australia fightback in loss to Lions

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt reflects on their 27-19 loss in the first Test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane

Transcript

00:00I look at the strength and depth they've got.

00:04Their coaching team, obviously, I've got a lot of admiration

00:07for a lot of people that I've worked with in the past.

00:11And I knew they'd come with a really good plan

00:14to exert a lot of pressure on us.

00:16I just think that, you know, this time last year,

00:18I think we probably would have melted,

00:20but I love the way this team is developing.

00:22You know, we've got a very tough start to the season.

00:25We've got two more Lions tests, then two tests away in South Africa.

00:28And I just think it's going to be a really,

00:32it's going to be a fantastic period for us to demonstrate some growth

00:35and to tighten some of the connections of the group that we've got.

00:40I felt if we could get within one score,

00:42then you never know what can happen.

00:44I'm not saying the Lions didn't deserve to win it

00:46because I feel like they did on the balance of what they did

00:49in that first, particularly first quarter and first half.

00:52We'll have a look in the cold light of day, probably,

00:54and be a little bit more analytical.

00:56But very proud of the way the players fought their way back.