If you were looking for evidence that the so-called new era of Australian rugby could deliver on its promise, that evidence came in the 13th minute, when the Wallabies were camped inside the Wales 22.

Five minutes earlier, Filipo Daugunu scored a magnificent try that spanned the length of the pitch, involving individual brilliance, extreme risk and a lucky bounce. In short, it looked great in replays but it’s not something a meticulous coach like Joe Schmidt would want to see too often.

Instead, he will point to the transition of play shortly afterwards as a sign that his project is beginning to bear fruit. With the advantage of a penalty and close proximity to the Welsh line, Australia kept it short and went through 22 phases with Jake Gordon delivering clean passes over his shoulder to the runners and forcing tackle after tackle from the Welsh defenders.

That is the hallmark of Schmidt-ball, where he has won three Six Nations crowns with Ireland and two European Championships with Leinster. And although James Slipper, the team captain in his 136th Test, struck, the momentum was with them and Noah Lolesio’s boot added three points to the score.

Pragmatic, accurate, efficient. These may not be the qualities that make youngsters turn their backs on other football codes, but they are the qualities that win Test matches. And for a long time, they were the qualities that were missing for a decade when the Wallabies had sunk to previously unimaginable lows. Two consecutive wins for the first time in three years and a series win against a team that had beaten them 40-6 in the World Cup 10 months ago are signs of progress.

That’s not to say Schmidt has solved every problem in a team that recently had more wrinkles than an elephant’s hide. Defending against Maul needs serious work, especially with Rugby Championship matches against South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina looming.

And the poor discipline around the breakdown needs to be stamped out. But they are improving elsewhere and have shown they can play Schmidt’s continuity game, which places more emphasis on patience than skill.

But fear not, romantics. The new coach has not thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Australian rugby is built on dynamism and as long as his players do not refuse direct orders, they have shown they still have a licence to excite. If he can combine his natural attacking enthusiasm with a new-found resilience, perhaps next year’s British & Irish Lions series will not be the embarrassment many predict.

It helped that the team was full of impressive athletes who could spark in the rain. Daugunu’s first try came after some brave and risky work by Andrew Kellaway, who chose to keep the ball in play when it would have been safer to kick it out from deep inside his own 22. A successful chase and regroup kept the move alive for Fraser McReight, who then released Daugunu to his right.

Gordan scored a try after a Welsh mistake, and so did Daugunu, who took advantage of some handy work from Liam Williams and followed up on a lost cause. The Welsh winger’s acrobatic leap meant Lolesio’s penalty would not find touch, but the furious Daugunu pounced on the loose ball and galloped up the field for what proved to be the decisive score.

These are not games Schmidt will hang his hat on. But he will take them. After all, winning is the primary goal. How that task is accomplished is irrelevant right now.

During the Springboks’ successful run to the 2019 World Cup, their coach Rassie Erasmus said his team had to “keep the main thing the main thing.” That was winning rugby matches. Other things, like diffusing racial tensions and giving desperate people a reason to smile, would come later and would be a result of their victory on the field.

The Wallabies do not have the cultural significance that the Springboks have in their home country. There are no Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar moments to look back on. There is no equivalent of a Siya Kolisi who rose from poverty to the very top of his sport. It is often and loudly said that rugby union is little more than a fringe code clinging to relevance in Australia. No one can argue that it has the potential to galvanise the nation.

And yet, this Wallabies team has ambitions that stretch far beyond the borders. It is up to them to grow the game, put arses in seats and restore pride in a jersey worn by two World Cup-winning captains. It is up to them to reward the fans who have stood by them through these difficult years and to encourage others to get back on board.

Having fun will help, but winning is more productive. Thanks to Schmidt, the main thing can remain the main thing for the foreseeable future.