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'Disaster; dreadful': Nick Farr-Jones' damning Aussie rugby comments
Nick Farr-Jones doubts the Wallabies believe they can win the Rugby World Cup and says that anything less than a semi-final appearance in France would be a “disaster”. The first Wallabies captain to win the World Cup says his side travelled to Europe in 1991 knowing they were the best team in the world.
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But, lamenting Australia’s “dreadful” pathways system and suspect start under returned coach Eddie Jones with two Test losses this month, Farr-Jones struggled to mount a case for the Wallabies in France later this year.
“I can’t imagine after those sorts of losses (against South Africa and Argentina), playing not great rugby, you can jump on a plane and have any sort of confidence,” he said at a function in Brisbane to launch the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour schedule.
Australia play New Zealand twice in the coming weeks and then face the hosts France in a World Cup warm-up before pool games against Georgia, Fiji, Wales and Portugal from September 10. A quarter -final against either England or Argentina beckons should they progress out of their group, but Farr-Jones thinks even winning that would paper over the cracks.
“We are blessed with the draw and we should make a semi-final otherwise it’ll be a disaster,” he said. “Even then people will gloss over that and say it was reasonably successful. It can’t be (a positive outlook) and that’s not just the team’s performance, it’s the game.
“I focus on life, family, my work, friends. If I focused on rugby I would be depressed because, for the last 20 years, it hasn’t been a great story. Our development pathways haven’t been well managed by the (Rugby Australia) board, they’re dreadful. Until you start to win and build it so young kids know who the players are and want to be like them, get people interested in the game, I’m not sure about our future.”
Jones will name his squad on Thursday to face the All Blacks at the MCG on July 29. The coach argued that even if they lose all three remaining games before their first World Cup clash that they can still present as title contenders.
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“100 per cent,” Jones said on Wednesday. “What you do at the World Cup as compared to what you do before is two completely different things.”
Jones cited poor results in lead-up games while assisting South Africa (2007) and then coaching Japan (2015) at World Cups as evidence in his favour. “It’s how you use the games to get yourself right. Every game is a learning experience for me,” he said. “You develop good habits very quickly and develop bad habits very quickly.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
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