Eddie Jones: 'It's 20 years since Australia's picked a young team like this'
Previously likening his team to broken-down Datsun, coach Eddie Jones says the Wallabies are now Formula One-worthy as they count down to their Rugby World Cup opener against Georgia in Paris.
Jones continued his trend of selection shocks for the sold-out Stade de France pool clash on Saturday (Sunday AEST) by naming Ben Donaldson for his first Test start at fullback ahead of Andrew Kellaway.
Jones conceded he needed more goal-kicking options after first-choice Carter Gordon only booted one from five in their World Cup warm-up loss to France.
“Andrew is right for selection; just felt for this game Dono (Donaldson) gives us the coverage that we need,” Jones said in a Paris news conference.
“His (Donaldson’s) goal-kicking has been at a high standard which obviously gives us two kickers and with Nic White off the bench that’s three. It’s an area we’ve needed to bolster a little bit hence the selection.”
Back-line linchpin Samu Kerevi has recovered from a hand injury to return in the number 12 jersey alongside Jordan Petaia, with Mark Nawaqanitawase and Marika Koroibete the wingers and Gordon and Tate McDermott again paired in the halves.
Jones will look to NRL recruit Suliasi Vunivalu for some punch off the bench after he impressed against France.
The Wallabies forward pack is unchanged with tighthead prop Taniela Tupou playing his 50th Test and lock Will Skelton captaining the side.
Following their loss to Argentina in Sydney in July Jones likened the Wallabies to his first car, a Datsun 1200, and said how he’d fix one part only for another to break soon after.
But he said the team was now firing on all cylinders.
“We’re ready to go mate – F1 – whatever car you like in F1, the fast one, we’re just about ready to take off mate,” Jones said.
“We’re at the starting line now and everyone starts on the same spot now.
“It’s been a really good progression. We went through a period where we had to almost restructure the team to get ourselves in a position where we think we can win the World Cup.
“This is the first step against Georgia – a very important game.”
Australia haven’t won the Webb Ellis Cup since 1999 and are looking to improve on a quarter-final showing in 2019 in Japan.
Vice-captain Tate McDermott said he wouldn’t be satisfied with anything other than a third World Cup title, with the Wallabies also winning in 1991.
“I’d say to go all the way,” said McDermott.
“We’re not here to scrape out of the pool stages. A pass mark, and it should be for all Australians, is that we’ve got to win it.”
With a total of 343 Test caps in the team and 17 World Cup debutants, it is the fewest for Australia at the quadrennial tournament since the 2003 fixture against Namibia in Adelaide (283).
Jones wasn’t bothered about caps and said it was the “best team” available to attempt to end a five-game losing streak.
“It’s 20 years since Australia’s picked a young team like this, and it shows a changing of the guard,” he said.
“This is a new team that wants to take Australian rugby forward. We want to play a game that enthuses people in Australia to want to follow the Wallabies again.”
Georgia named nine players, including captain Merab Sharikadze, who fell to the Wallabies 27-8 in a pool clash at the 2019 showpiece in Japan.
Wallabies: Angus Bell, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Richie Arnold, Will Skelton (c), Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Tate McDermott (vc), Carter Gordon, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Jordan Petaia, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Ben Donaldson. Res: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Zane Nonggorr, Rob Leota, Langi Gleeson, Nic White, Lalakai Foketi, Suliasi Vunivalu.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to comments