‘The pass mark’: Eddie Jones’ Wallabies set their sights on World Cup glory

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones sent a clear message to the rugby world in late July by famously proclaiming that the Wallabies weren’t coming to France “for the croissants.”

Jones insisted, in a rather funny way, that the Wallabies are more than ready to challenge for Rugby World Cup glory in two recently released Cadbury chocolate ads.

Australia have lost all five Tests under coach Jones this year, and the winless run has likely left Wallabies fans feeling pessimistic and frustrated heading into the sports showpiece event.

But that’s all outside noise.

Coach Jones has – rather optimistically – smiled his way through practically every press conference this year, and the players believe in the seemingly impossible as well.

Vice-captain Tate McDermott was asked to pinpoint the Wallabies “pass mark” at the World Cup, and after taking a moment or two to think of an answer, the halfback didn’t hold back.

“I’d say to go all the way to be honest,” McDermott said on Thursday. “We are not here to scrape our way out of the pool stages.

“The pass mark for all Australians should be to go and win it. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before we do that but that’s the pass mark.”

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The Wallabies named their team for their Rugby World Cup opener on Thursday, with McDermott set to start in the halves alongside rising star Carter Gordon.

With just 343 Tests of experience shared between the matchday 23, it’s the most inexperienced Wallabies team at a Rugby World Cup since Australia’s clash with Namibia in 2003.

But the Wallabies, as coach Jones insisted, are “like an F1 car” that’s ready to blitz the opposition after taking pole position ahead of a big race.

“We are ready to go, mate. We’re like an F1 car now, a fast one at the start of the grid,” Jones said. “There’s been a really good progression.

“We went through a period where we had to almost de-structure the team to get ourselves in the position where we think we can win the World Cup.

“This is the first step against Georgia, a very important game.

“In the latter part of the Rugby Championship and the France game here, the team were really starting to come together. It would be unfair for me to say that I knew where the team were going to end up because we are just starting to understand what our strengths are as a team and to play to those.

“We’re going to play a reasonably unique style, which suits us. We are ready for the lights.”

Coach Jones has named world-class duo Marika Koroibete and Samu Kerevi to return for the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup opener against Georgia this weekend.

The rest of the team remains unchanged – aside from a bold call at fullback. Jones has picked three-Test Wallaby Ben Donaldson to start ahead of Andrew Kellaway in the No. 15 jersey.

Jones initially refused to talk about Kellaway before explaining the surprise selection.

“Andrew’s right for selection,” Jones added. “We just felt for this game ‘Donno’ gives us the sort of coverage we need. He’s been training with us for six to eight weeks, mostly at fullback.

“His goalkicking has been of a high standard, which gives us two for this game [along with fly-half Carter Gordon] and a third with Nic White on the bench. It’s an area we’ve needed to bolster a bit, hence the selection.”