‘Talk about leadership’: Wallabies in the dark before must-win Wales clash
Despite their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, the Wallabies are in the dark about who will lead the side in one of the biggest games in Australian rugby history.
For the second straight week there is uncertainty about the captain of the Wallabies, who face a do-or-die clash with Wales in Lyon on Sunday (Monday AEST).
A defeat would mean Australia miss the quarter-finals for the first time since the inaugural tournament 36 years ago.
Heading into their first ever tournament loss against Fiji, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones waited until game day to confirm regular skipper Will Skelton would miss at least two matches with a calf injury and hooker Dave Porecki would become the sixth Test captain of the year.
Vice-captain Tate McDermott missed that game following a concussion in Australia’s tournament-opening win over Georgia and while he will play against Wales, he remained unsure whether he would take over the armband.
McDermott led the team in the Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Dunedin before Skelton was appointed for the World Cup.
“We’ve got a strong leadership group, so anyone in that group is capable of taking that role,” the halfback told reporters in Saint-Etienne.
Scrum coach Neal Hatley confirmed the captaincy would be finalised on Thursday, saying it’s “not a massive thing for us”.
Former Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell, who lashed Jones in a podcast over his selection decisions, questioned the leadership of the sport and said it contributed to Australia’s first tournament loss to Fiji.
“You talk about leadership in an organisation, we’ve had six captains in seven games, we’ve had a multitude of changes at CEO level, president level, coaching level, this is beyond just what happened (against Fiji),” said Mitchell, who played in three World Cups.
“It’s probably been a long time coming and we got bitten in the arse. It’s time to wake up a little bit.”
McDermott at least sounded like a captain when he spoke of how the players had responded to their 22-15 Fiji defeat.
“The honesty in the group was awesome to see because it was a tough watch,” the 25-year-old Queenslander said.
“We had to call that out, we had to put everything on the table so we don’t fall into the same trap.
“Eddie’s been really good at driving the mindset part as well, with all the coaching staff, so we’ve got a real clear plan of how we want to go into this game.
“We have to get that result so we’ve seen a big shift from the boys. The hangover from that performance against Fiji, we had to throw that in the bin as quickly as possible because of the importance of this game.”
Eschewing their traditional flamboyant style, the Fijians played conservatively, winning the physical battle at the breakdown and relying on their kicking game and penalties to apply pressure.
McDermott said those tactics provided ideal preparation for facing unbeaten Wales, who are coached by Jones’s long-time rival Warren Gatland.
“You look at the similarities between them,” he said.
“Fiji’s mentality at the start of the game to take those threes (penalties); Dan Biggar is going to do the exact same thing with Wales.
“We’ve got to win the physicality and if we don’t do that, we’re on the back foot, then we invite those opportunities for them to build that scoreboard pressure.”
In another blow, the Wallabies announced overnight that Max Jorgensen’s World Cup is over after the uncapped teenage speedster fractured his leg at training.
His medical replacement in the squad is still to be confirmed.
Comments on RugbyPass
Andy Goode just loves to be controversial. Its boring. Let’s all stop reading.
6 Go to commentsYou have got to consider that if the situation was flipped and the French were held to a salary cap with no English equivalent, the English would laugh in their faces and tell them to get over it. As for Leinster (as a fan), the central contract system is a dream but is guilty of cutting out the other 3 provinces. At the end of the day, it comes across outside of the English border that the Premiership is drowning and trying to take everyone else with it rather than adapt. The English lose, the English want new rules. We've seen this repeat (and once it even led to the current Champions Cup) You make many good and informed points, but if the flip was on the other flop, it wouldn't be Rugby’s problem I suspect - it would be a French one.
13 Go to commentsSeems to have been a bright start but it tailed off. To win the big matches you have to get used to putting your foot on the throttle and your opponent’s necks in an 80 minutes performance which is what the All Blacks were renowned for. An example in the Women’s game is England v Ireland in the 6N match played at Twickenham in April. Watch on YouTube.
1 Go to commentsBobby has been a first grade bonehead since high school. Like a true Cape Tonian, his own reflection is more important than anything else.
1 Go to commentsNo comment on the textbook red card for Ramm that was just ignored? Amazing that
4 Go to commentsThese rule changes have been implemented with good intentions, but much like every other rule change focus on isolated symptoms instead of the root cause. If you cannot croc roll, and cannot risk any head contact with a front on clear out, it is not clear how you are supposed to lawfully clear someone out who is attempting a jackal. This will backfire massively and lead to substantially more kicking. Teams will simply not want to take the ball into contact. Or it will lead to even more dangerous methods to clear players out who are over the ball. I much prefer having the set piece on a 30 second shot clock over no scrum on a short arm infringement. Resets are not a problem in themselves, but 90 second water and tactics breaks before every scrum are a big problem. Trainers constantly coming on to the field to help players pull their socks up and delaying the game are a problem. DuPont law was a blight on the game and should have been changed the day after it was first implemented.
79 Go to commentsAh yes, the opinion of Andy Goode… Andy Goode, the man who knows what some of the Irish players said to Eben Etzebeth after the QF, better than what Eben himself knows. And, judging by this piece, the Grandmaster of clichés.
6 Go to commentsI think this is a fair view. As a South African I am concerned about the depowering of the scrum but let’s be honest, until the SA vs FRA quarter many people didn’t even know you could take a scrum from a free kick. As you say it’s going to come down to interpretation… until then we don’t really know how this is going to impact the game. That would lead to my own objection. Do the unknowns of changing a law outweigh the cons of said law. With such an obscure law that most people had never heard of, one that had never really had an impact on the game in the first place is it worth changing to invite so much uncertainty. Better the devil you know then the devil you don’t as it were…
6 Go to comments162 comments so far and counting. i didn't realize that rugby fans are on the way to join the football brothers. what is the point to share personal opinion only to get all this shi*? it seems IRB bosses are doing the great job by killing the spirit of the game both on and outside the pitch. too sad, indeed. btw, was there anything on eben’s point of view from the boys in green, who he mentioned?
164 Go to commentsJob done guys. Great win in a game where things can quickly go wrong.
1 Go to commentsAlex Sanderson fantastic coach and person .So pleased he has signed another contract great days ahead for Sale under his leadership.
1 Go to commentsAndy Goode cant kick to 12
164 Go to commentsDoxed himself. Great work Johnny. You are well suited to the Saders
1 Go to comments_Best game players _
1 Go to commentsWho's Jarrad Hohepa?
1 Go to commentsSo let me get this straight. Say you have the dominant scrum. You are 99% sure you can go for a scrum pushover try on the line to win the game. The opposition knows it too. They give away a silly tap kick instead. You are now not allowed to scrum. This is ridiculous! *%@ing the game up as usual! The fact that the attacking teams are not allowed to scrum from a held up over the line is just as ridiculous. Really world rugby? Careful people might start a rebel league called True Rugby or Real Rugby.
79 Go to comments12 subs during a game? How has that been allowed to happen NB? I hate when the game goes in this monopolistic direction closing up shop, it just becomes non sport. Btw have you seen anything of how Liam Coltman was tracking for Lyon? He has just signed to return to Otago though we have a couple of young hookers developing here. He was a popular gentle natured character down here and I’m glad to see him back but maybe he will be a mentor primarily?
13 Go to commentsGreat breakdown and the global politics always confuses me a little. The southern hemisphere seems to be left out a bit but I wouldn’t even know where to start with fixing it. Club challenge could be a step in the right direction
13 Go to commentsSince he coached Free state, from that time onwards, I maintained he was the coach for the Boks. A nice, no nonsense guy with an excellent brain, who gets results.
11 Go to commentswell - they only played against 14 men and had the TMO team on their side - and still should have lost… so actually that makes sense.
35 Go to comments