‘Happy with the dub’: Jordan Petaia has come a long way in four years
Four years ago, teenager Jordan Petaia was thrust into the international arena as a headline-grabbing Rugby World Cup bolter for the Wallabies.
Heralded as a rising star after shining for Brisbane State High in Queensland’s GPS high school competition, Petaia was talked up as a generational talent in Australia after starring for the Reds.
There was plenty to like about the utility, and it was time to unleash him on the rugby world.
Coach Michael Cheika picked the 19-year-old in the Wallabies’ 2019 Rugby World Cup squad. Petaia ended up starting at outside centre alongside Samu Kerevi in the quarter-final against England in Oita.
But the Wallabies lost. Four more years of hurt, frustration and sorrow followed as Aussies waited for the 2023 World Cup.
This tournament started just as the last one ended in the midfield. Petaia started in the centres alongside Kerevi when Australia played Georgia in their tournament opener last weekend.
Petaia, now 23, was especially impressive early on. It was the best he’s looked in Wallaby gold for quite some time.
The outside centre scored the Wallabies’ first try of the tournament after just two minutes, and showed some brilliant skill to set up wing Mark Nawaqanitawase shortly after.
Four years on, a vastly more experienced Jordan Petaia stepped up when the Aussies needed him too. The electric talent helped the Wallabies secure their first win under coach Eddie Jones.
“Every game in this tournament is do-or-die so you take them when they come,” Petaia told RugbyPass about an hour after full-time.
“Tonight, the first game of the tournament, it’s just good to get a win.
“Didn’t have a great start to the year but we knew we were building well every game so it’s just about also building on this game.
“We’ve got a bit there tonight to work on but happy with the dub and happy to move on and get into the next game.”
While injuries have disrupted his progression over the past few years, Petaia has experience that is simply invaluable to a young Wallabies outfit.
Petaia is part of an elite group within the Wallabies’ setup, and that shouldn’t go unnoticed. There are only eight players in the squad who have gone to a World Cup before, and the Queenslander is one of them.
Coach Jones also picked a team to play Georgia with just 343 Test caps between them, which was the youngest Australia team at a World Cup since 2003 vs. Namibia in Adelaide.
Playing at a World Cup is simply a different beast, so the Wallabies needed their more experienced campaigners to step up.
“It’s good to get a win on the board and tick off that first match of the tournament. Just good to get those nerves as well out of the way,” Petaia added.
“We had a gameplan going into the game so I think we executed that really well and the team just made it so easy for us outside backs, especially just to get our hands on the ball early and do what we’ve got to do for our team.”
Petaia appeared to be on track for Player of the Match honours after 10 minutes. The centre looked lethal every time he touched the ball, and that showed on the scoreboard as well.
But by the end of the Test, it wasn’t a surprise to see Ben Donaldson get the nod.
Donaldson, 24, was a surprise selection ahead of the World Cup opener, but the playmaker silenced some critics with a breathtaking 25-point haul.
“Man of the Match, he played out of his skin tonight. He’s always been that player Dono so it’s good to see him finally getting that credit,” Petaia said, with a smile on his face.
(He) executed his role really well tonight, he stepped in and did the job I thought amazingly. It’s kudos to the work he’s been putting in behind closed doors.
“Hasn’t had a lot of games this year but played really well tonight.”
But the moral of this story remains the same.
There are some exciting players in the Wallabies’ squad including the likes of Ben Donaldson, but Jordan Petaia brings an invaluable level of experience to the table at his second Rugby World Cup.
In four years, Jordan Petaia has gone from an exciting World Cup bolter to one of the Wallabies’ most important players.
Comments on RugbyPass
Nick, I think your article brings up a couple of issues. Do we stick with a lighter 7 ie M.Hooper V2 or a bigger 7. If Schmidt goes with McRight then I would suggest he should also make him captain, from my observations he does most of the captains job, apart from talking to the ref and he was an outstanding captain in U20’s. The big problem for the Wallabies is the tight 5 and McRight would fit perfectly IF we had a competitive and mobile tight 5. The other point is who are the6 & 8? If he goes with Cale at 8 and Valitini at 6 then that is a very mobile backrow but how good will they be at the breakdown. If he keeps BobbyV at 8 and say Leota at 6 then he might be looking for a stronger pack and McRight may not fit in. It is always a tricky call for smaller forwards with great skills.
56 Go to comments> And to be frank, those are the only four teams that deserve to be in the playoffs. They are the only teams that hold winning records in Super Rugby Pacific 2024. So you agree with the final 8 format then Ben? As of course its purpose is to generate activity towards the end of the season, and as you say, there wouldn’t be any if it was just a final 4 playoff format.
13 Go to commentsThe reason the Rebels are in the position they are, is because Foote is a very poor coach. The Rebels over the last few years have played a nauseatingly boring one dimensional mistake ridden game, occassionaly sprinkled with some brilliance via Carter Gordon and Tim Sampson. You can’t bore supporters in to supporting you. Even if you win some. There is no point to the Rebels if Foote is coaching them. They need someone with some Aussie inspiration and imagination.
2 Go to comments“Against this backdrop of turmoil, the team on the field is playing some excellent rugby.” Are they really? They will probably finish seventh, in the bottom half of the draw. Of their twelve games to date they have lost FIVE by more than 25 points. Think about that for a second: they have been on the wrong end of one-sided thrashings in almost half their games this year. Away in Canberra this weekend it might well become six. They have done all this with a squad it is clear they could not afford. And yet here we are talking about this season being shining proof of their quality if only they are given another chance. It just ain’t so. They’ve played some okay rugby and aren’t terrible, but best case will need to shed some of their better players and probably get worse again next year to have any chance of remaining viable. If they stay the data suggests they’ll be back where they’ve been for years - trying to scrap away for eighth place in a comp that should probably only have a Top 4 or 6 playoff to begin with.
2 Go to commentsSomething fishy is going on here. Earlier this year Dame Patsy Reddy was threatening to step down if the review recommendations didn’t go through now it’s the professional players association going nuclear. It looks like a theft attempt by the executive and the association. Is there a big backer in the shadows? The clubs and by extension the unions own the game in NZ yet they are being told to shut up and have no say in the running of the game they have created and own. Ok let them go and do what they want but they can’t call themselves the ABs or the super or npc sides. At the end of everything this is a sport not a path to enrichment.
2 Go to commentsI would say NB that the 7 who has the skills to play as an extra half is Billy Harmon of the Highlanders. He does everything expected of an openside with ruck, tackle and run but he has a good pass. Robertson might of opted for Christie at the Crusaders moving Harmon on but that allowed him to break out of the Crusaders system and show his full range of skills.
56 Go to commentsHe is right. How do you pick the two? Ospreys and Cardiff?
2 Go to commentsSam like many had passed their use by dates and that is down to the selectors, not the player. I wasn't a Sam fan, but he didn’t deserve Bidwells brutally honest opinion. Could have been more diplomatic.
3 Go to commentsNice piece nick, mcreight is immense. Just like hooper, he seems to be indefatigable and sprint the full 80 from one involvement to the next. Like DuPont, its like they can see an extra phase ahead which means they know where to be before everyone else. His support and link play for mine is his real point of difference, and now he is lifting the other areas up as well. One key improvement is when to jackal or not, he used to go for everything and get pinged or stuck in the ruck. His decision making in this area has really improved. He seems to be quite competitive, and like faz not afraid to chew out a teammate. If he went down, both the reds and wallabies would be in trouble. I’d lean towards Wright or Wilkin/Gamble I think, I don’t think many of the other candidates have the work rate or ruck presence that is needed of a 7. Interestingly, the reds lineout fell apart on the weekend without faessler, although the maul still functioned. The heat seemed to affect their decision making, I think they needed to adjust to a low possession, simple game plan but they went head strong with a high possession game even though they couldn’t hold onto it, secure their ruck or their set piece…
56 Go to commentsExpecting those provincial fish-heads to vote themselves out of power is like expecting turkeys to vote for Christmas. Good luck with that!
2 Go to commentsA brilliant winger..
1 Go to commentsGood player, but how could anyone have filled RMCs shoes.? Also, I hope Razor implements better & indeed more legal tackling, the AB’s concede way too many cards. Looking forward to the new regime though.
11 Go to commentsGood article, NB. I’ve quite liked the speed and skill levels of Tom Ahern from Munster. I read he was a fullback until late in schools rugby and suddenly shot up to 6 foot 9. Another guy born in 2000 who seems to be able to play out in trams on both sides of the ball is Juan Martin Gonzalez of Saracens. Thanks for the article.
56 Go to commentsShould not even be in the thought to bring Barrett back,the team is going well and remember 2 season ago when the blues were going well & got out thought & out played in the final all Barrett did was needlessly kick away posession again and again, pass to players in worse positions as to avoid contact and for the Blues and AB proved costly in crucial games.
3 Go to commentsBarbarians will be preparing for fiji starting end of this week but fiji will be preparing only 1 week b4 the game…..so unfair
1 Go to commentsI believe it was the Wallaby Nick White who opened the floodgates - earning his team a yellow card against SA and getting Faf binned for 10. Nick White. The original soft pr1ck, diving git. Owen Farrell is growing on me.
2 Go to commentsTo be honest this result was not that seismic as shock, Canada are a very good team and very few teams fear the Black Ferns anymore. The rankings give a good picture, the top four ranked teams are the top four teams in women’s rugby with England ahead the other three can exchange places at any given time. Despite the USA result I still think Australia are ahead of the rest. WXV will show how big the gap is between nations.
9 Go to commentsFarrell playing in France next season better get use to play acting .
3 Go to commentsNot sure I see the magic. Solid flanker but the aggression and lack of bending at the hips leads to boo boos
11 Go to comments100%. Thank you, Andy.
2 Go to comments