(Reuters) - Australia coach Joe Schmidt believes his team is moving in the right direction even though a third consecutive defeat on Saturday left the Wallabies rooted to the bottom of the final Rugby Championship standings.
Schmidt's side lost 33-13 to New Zealand having made a strong start in Wellington, with Australia's performance in the first half giving the former Ireland coach cause for optimism.
The loss means Australia finished last in the four-nation Rugby Championship standings, picking up the wooden spoon for the second tournament in a row.
"You want to threaten across the full width of the pitch and the length of it as well, so I was delighted that the players, they chanced their arm and they had a go in the first half," he said.
"I don't really look at rankings. I look at performances and aspects of performance.
"This year's big project was about building depth. We've had 16 debutants, and a new leader and Harry (Wilson) has done very, very well.
"The confidence is growing on the back of being able to put some things together."
Schmidt took over after Australia's dismal showing at the World Cup and the New Zealander has been charged with rebuilding the team ahead of next year's British and Irish Lions tour as well as Australia's hosting of the World Cup in 2027.
The Wallabies have won four times in nine matches since Schmidt replaced Eddie Jones as coach and the next task sees Schmidt take the Wallabies to the northern hemisphere.
There his team will face tests against England on Nov. 9, Wales on Nov. 18, Scotland on Nov. 24 and, finally, against number one ranked Ireland on Nov. 30.
"Those four Test matches, they make up the Lions for next year so we get a good look at their personnel," Schmidt said.
"It's going to be a really tough (northern) tour, but if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in a position of potentially being competitive next July."
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
