'Rock bottom' - Critics descend on Wallabies World Cup flop
Unless results in Pool C serve up some manner of miracle, it looks like the Wallabies will be exiting the 2023 Rugby World Cup during the pool stages.
It’s an unthinkable mess for the two-time World Cup winners, whose consecutive defeats to Fiji and Wales have left a once rugby-mad nation reeling.
Not only did Eddie Jones’ Wallabies lose, they were relatively comfortably beaten by Fiji 22-15 and thrashed 40-6 last night in Lyon by a Welsh side that finished fifth in the Six Nations. It leaves the men in green and gold with just six points from three games, all but guaranteeing an ignominious pool stage exit for one of rugby union’s traditional superpowers.
Critics of the Australian regime have been out in force, with legendary winger turned naysayer David Campese swooping in with an ‘I told you say’ Tweet right out the gate. “Rock bottom for Wallabies. I have been predicting this for years after seeing the lack of rugby IQ and skills in grassroots in Australia. Ive been warning “the powers that” be but nobody listens.”
Former flyhalf Bernhard Foley, who hadn’t tweeted in six months and who was effectively snubbed in favour of two rookie standoffs, wrote “It didn’t have to be like this!”
Former Aussie flyhalf Jonno Lance wrote: “The decisions made a few months ago and probably, most annoyingly, the arrogance after they were made and through the tournament are going to – hurt some young careers – send a bunch of 25 to 28-year-olds overseas who missed out.”
Former Samoa international Dan Leo suggested the Wallabies tour the island to toughen up ahead of the Lions in 2025. “Wallabies need to tour the Islands to toughen up for next year, especially with the British Lions touring.”
RugbyPass columnist Andy Goode wrote: “Whoever sacked Dave Rennie and employed Eddie Jones at the Wallabies needs to walk and take Eddie with him!… Where are all the Eddie Jones fans now saying his World Cup record meant England should never have sacked him?! Masterstroke by Bill Sweeney to not put Eddie Jones on gardening leave when he got sacked from the England job! He’s gone on to make the Australians woeful and out at the group stages! Actually feel for the Australian players, they are operating in a toxic environment created by Eddie Jones and you can see it in their performances.”
Whoever sacked Dave Rennie and employed Eddie Jones at the @wallabies needs to walk and take Eddie with him!
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) September 24, 2023
Respected journalist Brett McKay wrote: “This has been a failure of planning, of selection, and of preparation, at every level. Feel for the Wallabies players. They’ve been sent out into battle with no weapons and not even basic tools. An absolute disaster solely of Jones & McLennan’s making.”
Renowned Aussie rugby thinker Laurie Fisher revealingly wrote in a reply to one post on Twitter, when asked if he get involved once more: “They didn’t want me before the World Cup I don’t see why they’d want me after.”
Welsh rugby writer Paul Williams wrote: “Wallabies are better than this. Horrible to watch them playing rugby of this standard. Heads have gone.”
English journalist Mick Cleary posted: “Jesus How poor are Eddie Jones’ Australia? Or, how brilliant are Warren Gatland’s Wales?”
What now for Eddie Jones and Australia? With rumours of a job in Japan for Jones, it would seem the writing is on the wall for the sixty-three-year-old. Rugby Australia will surely be thinking it’s time to pull the plug on one of the most disastrous tenures in their history.
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.
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