After enduring a demoralising few years and a disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign, Wallabies fans entered 2024 hoping to see any sign of hope for the future.
And, against all odds, the Wallabies delivered. Particularly during the late-year UK Spring Tour, the team showed signs of resurgence, reminding fans that brighter days might be ahead as we look toward 2025.
Here, we take a look back at the Wallabies' top moments in 2024 - proof that the tide may finally be turning for Australian rugby.
- Last minute win in Argentina
One of the first sparks of hope in the 2024 season came with the Wallabies' dramatic 20-19 victory over Argentina in La Plata.
This triumph marked the end of an eight-match Rugby Championship losing streak, with the win sealed by a last-minute penalty from Ben Donaldson.
The win provided a much-needed boost for the team, with debutant captain Harry Wilson reflecting afterwards, "Just to get the win gives us that little bit more confidence to keep improving."
2. Jorgenson try at Twickenham
Max Jorgenson cemented his place in Wallabies history in November as he got the Wallabies over the edge in their 42-37 victory over England.
Well after the full-time siren, the 20-year-old dived over the tryline to end a nearly decade-long drought at Twickenham.
This occurred during a critical juncture in the Wallabies' rebuilding phase, as their renewed emphasis on integrating younger talent faced scrutiny amid a series of disappointing results. However, the promising performances of rising stars like Jorgensen and former league player Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who made his debut in this game, offered a glimpse of the rebuild's potential payoff.
3. Drubbing in Cardiff
While the team's ability to grind out narrow victories provided a morale boost, their emphatic triumph in Cardiff reminded fans what a blow-out Wallabies performance looks like.
Facing Wales, Australia delivered a commanding 52-20 victory, silencing the home crowd with their dominance.
Tom Wright and Matt Faessler each notched hat-tricks, as the Wallabies condemned Wales to a record 11th consecutive defeat.
4. The (almost) Bledisloe comeback.
While the Bledisloe Cup remains in the hands of the All Blacks for another year, their narrow 31-28 victory left Wallabies supporters with plenty of reasons for optimism.
With tries from McReight, Faessler, Paisami and Wright narrowing the gap to just three points, the Wallabies showed undeniable promise.
Perhaps even more encouraging was the reaction from new coach Joe Schmidt. Clearly frustrated by the near-miss, Schmidt declared post-game that the team “can't finish a close second” anymore.
He has since backed up that sentiment with results, as the Wallabies' winning percentage under his leadership climbed to 46.15% this year - a significant improvement over the 35.7% in 2022 and a dismal 22.2% in 2023
5. World Cup revenge on home soil
Perhaps the most satisfying moment of the Wallabies' 2024 season came in the form of World Cup redemption.
Just 13 months earlier, Australia had suffered a humbling 40-6 defeat to Wales in Lyon - a crushing loss that extinguished any hope for Eddie Jones' much-hyped second tenure as coach.
Fast forward to July, and the Wallabies delivered a complete reversal of fortunes with back-to-back victories over Wales on home soil. The 25-15 and 36-28 wins not only restored pride but left Wales reeling, with their coach openly questioning his future.
Both Wallabies players and fans walked away from the games with a supreme sense of vindication and a renewed belief that the future of Australian rugby might just be brighter than it originally seemed.
