Rebels' form No 10 pushing for Wallabies World Cup berth
Melbourne five-eighth Carter Gordon could emerge as a Rugby World Cup bolter with Wallabies coach Eddie Jones saying selection remains wide open.
The 22-year-old is one of the form playmakers of the Super Rugby Pacific competition, named player of the match in the Rebels’ pulsating 40-34 victory over Queensland on Saturday night.
Likened to a young Stephen Larkham both in stature and raw ability, uncapped Gordon has impressed with his his fearlessness in attack, his passing and kicking game, while he also defends strongly in the front line.
While Quade Cooper had hold of the Wallabies’ No.10 jersey until his Achilles injury last year, other options such as Brumbies playmaker Noah Lolesio and Reds veteran James O’Connor have been in and out of the side.
Youngster Ben Donaldson made his Test debut on the UK Spring tour but the faltering form of the Waratahs hasn’t helped his case.
Jones told reporters that he wouldn’t discount players from the World Cup due to age or inexperience.
He mentioned NSW outside back Max Jorgenson, who has also had a breakout season.
“It’s not too late for anyone,” he said when asked if it was too late for Gordon to make a case for selection with the France tournament in six months time.
“I’m not going to comment about specific players at this stage but I think we’re looking out for players who want to be selected.
“Kearnsy (ex Wallaby Phil Kearns) was talking about Jorgensen.
“He’s come through, he’s 18 years old, and he could play in the World Cup.
“There’s no reason he couldn’t play in the World Cup and there’s a couple of others like that.
“I think every position is wide open.”
Jones is set to select his first training squad for a camp next month and could look to include Queensland born and raised Gordon even just to give him a taste of the Wallabies environment.
Melbourne coach Kevin Foote praised the players around Gordon for helping him to flourish this season, including the hard-hitting forwards who have been providing such quick ball.
But he also said Gordon, who was mentored by ex-Wallaby Matt Toomua while he was at the Rebels, had stood up.
“Carter is leading so well and his goal kicking and line kicking, there’s a lot of pressure on him and he’s doing really well,” Foote said after the Reds match.
Meanwhile, Jones said he would use the April training camp to start to work out who will captain the Wallabies through to the game’s showpiece.
Australia’s longest-serving skipper Michael Hooper has said he was ready to resume the position after he relinquished it before an Argentina Test last year to take a mental health break from the game.
Veteran prop James Slipper took over in his absence.
“April will be the first time I get the players in front of me,” Jones said. “Then I’ll be able to have some idea about who can be the best captain or the best captains for the team.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Jordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
4 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
4 Go to comments