Analysis: How Wallabies can rescue Rugby World Cup campaign

The Wallabies are reeling after a shock loss to Fiji that has left their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread. Here’s what they need to do to avoid an embarrassing early exit.

Despite a shock loss to Fiji the Wallabies still have a decent crack at making the playoffs. Picture: Getty Images

If the Wallabies fail to make the quarter-finals for the first time ever at the Rugby World Cup, they really will only have themselves to blame.

As poorly as they played in their shock loss to Fiji, the Wallabies still have a decent crack at making the playoffs.

As hard as it looks right now for Eddie Jones and his misfiring team, if they win their remaining two pool games against Wales and Portugal, they should still qualify, although there’s a possibility it may come down to bonus points.

After two rounds, Wales lead the group standings with 10 points, followed by Fiji and Australia on six.

Teams get four points for a win, plus bonus points for scoring at least four tries or losing by seven points.

If the Wallabies get the maximum 10 points from their last two matches, the only way they could miss out would be if Fiji also got 10 points and Wales got seven.

Despite a shock loss to Fiji the Wallabies still have a decent crack at making the playoffs. Picture: Getty Images

Barring any major upsets, Fiji look to be in the box seat, with matches against Georgia and Portugal to come, with the winner of the match between Australia and Wales likely to get the other spot.

The Wallabies did get a lucky break against Fiji with the Pacific Islanders missing a last-minute penalty that would have put them 10 clear and denied Australia a bonus point.

“It could be massively important,” Jones said.

“As disappointing as our performance was, we get a point out of it.

“It’s a bit of a bonus and that’s probably why they call it bonus point.”

If the Wallabies do get through, history shows anything can happen then because plenty of teams have recovered from losing pool games and gone on to be successful.

At the last World Cup In 2019, South Africa won the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time after losing their opening match against New Zealand.

England (1991), England (2007) and France (2011) all made the final after dropping a pool while the Wallabies finished third in 2011 after losing to Ireland in the group stage.

Originally published as Analysis: How Wallabies can rescue Rugby World Cup campaign