The Wallabies have rejected claims they have a “losing mentality” after copping a serve from former World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward.

Trailing by more than a converted try after 80 minutes, Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson accepted the first Test was unsalvageable and opted to boot the ball dead in goal rather than trying to run 100 metres to narrow the defeat.

That led Woodward, who led England to World Cup glory over the Wallabies in 2003 before being trounced 3-0 by the All Blacks as Lions coach in 2005, to question the home side’s mentality in a column for the Daily Mail.

“What summed up the game for me was with the clock in the red and with the Lions winning 27-19, the Australian captain Harry Wilson kicked the ball out to end the game,” Woodward wrote.

“Talk about a losing mentality. For me, it is the last play of the game so why not have a mentality to try and score as this could be the situation in seven days’ time, only closer? Why not rehearse this scenario?

“Why would any player, especially the captain, want to end the game? That in so many ways reflects the current state of Australian rugby which is clearly not in a great position.”

Harry Wilson of Australia kicks the ball to touch to conclude the first Test between the Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

On Monday, Wallabies veteran James Slipper, who played in the 2013 Lions series, including their second Test win in the corresponding fixture 12 years ago, hit back and said it was a matter of being pragmatic.

“I didn’t see that,” the Wallabies’ most capped player said.

“The game, from memory, was over. We were eight points behind. It’s a long way to go to potentially turn over the ball and concede another try.

“I wouldn’t say it was a losing mentality, it just made a full stop on that game and crack on with game two.”

The Wallabies’ eight-point defeat wasn’t unexpected, with Joe Schmidt’s side $5 outsiders heading into the Test.

Slipper said the Wallabies were fully aware of the high profile of the series, which was watched by 1.7 million people on Channel 9, but added that the side wouldn’t be distracted by the headlines.

“No, not really. We’re trying to be very internal and making sure our preparation is the best it can be,” Slipper said.

“We know there’s going to be noise. It’s a big event, so we just want to make sure we do our job and perform.”

Nor did Slipper say the team would be sticking newspaper clippings of the negativity around changerooms to serve as motivation.

“I’ve definitely been a part of teams that have, but no, not under Joe,” Slipper said. “We’re really concentrating on ourselves.”

Harry Wilson looks dejected after the Wallabies’ 27-19 defeat to the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on July 19, 2025. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

While Slipper chose to keep his power relatively dry, former Wallabies Matt Burke and Michael Hooper whacked Woodward for his comments.

“Do not let them score,” Burke told Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“Don’t let them get a driving maul or whatever and try and just rub salt into the wound. 34-19 at the end sounds incredibly bad.

“Get the ball, kick it out, start again, walk off and say ‘you didn’t breach our line at the end there.’

“We won that second half in tough circumstances after coming back… as a captain, that’s what I’d have done every day of the week. Turn it up.”

Hooper agreed and said he was surprised the former coach, who spent time playing at Manly, didn’t go harder on the Lions’ second half performance where they let in the final two tries of the Test.

“I’m surprised by the comments,” Hooper told Between Two Posts.

“Clive is a great coach, what more could be done? I think that’s a good, mature decision from Harry. We’ll turn up next week and try and win the next two.

“I think Clive should be thinking, ‘why didn’t the Lions put the foot on the throat for the second half’?”