The in-camp Wallabies reaction to Eddie Jones' latest high profile axing
Andrew Kellaway believes the cut-throat battle for Rugby World Cup spots hasn’t changed the mindset of the Wallabies players as they hunt their first win of the year in Melbourne’s Bledisloe Cup match.
A hamstring injury meant Kellaway missed Australia’s first two Tests under new coach Eddie Jones but he’s in line to start at fullback against the unbeaten All Blacks on Saturday at the MCG.
The Wallabies look set to be without injured co-captain Michael Hooper after the veteran flanker failed to train with team on Monday in Melbourne.
The moves come amid speculation Jones had considered naming his squad for the World Cup in France early to alleviate anxiety within the playing group.
Tom Wright started in the No.15 jersey against South Africa and Argentina but was then was ruthlessly axed from the squad altogether, while Reece Hodge and Pete Samu were also selection casualties.
Conceding some of his teammates might handle the selection squeeze differently, Kellaway didn’t feel the pressure on players had changed.
“I don’t think anxiety is right word, I think it’s expectation,” Kellaway said.
“We’ve always known that – you don’t perform you’re out, right? So seeing a guy of Wrighty’s class leave the group is only sort of reaffirmation of that fact.
“We’re blessed with depth in the outside backs here and if you don’t take your opportunity you leave yourself up for those things you can’t control.
“But I don’t think there’s anything new there, that’s something that’s always there.”
Australia haven’t won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002, in Jones’ first stint as coach.
In Melbourne last year they came desperately close to victory in the first fixture before a controversial 39-37 loss after a late All Blacks try.
Kellaway crossed twice in that Marvel Stadium match and said the performance gave the team belief, despite the chorus of naysayers after their recent losses.
“Tweak a little bit of the management of the referee there at the end of Melbourne last year and it’s a different story,” Kellaway said.
“If we reflect on that, I think the biggest lesson and probably the most important is that if we play the way we want to play we give ourselves every chance.”
While Hooper looks set to miss his second game due to a calf injury, burly prop Taniela Tupou has declared he’s ready for his first Test since rupturing his achilles tendon last November.
The 27-year-old recovered well after playing 40 minutes for Australia A against his birth country Tonga but was ill over the weekend.
Tupou was in the thick of action at training on Monday and said he hoped to play.
“The last few days was hard but I trained today and did everything and my body feels good and I feel ready to go,” Tupou said.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
2 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
2 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
11 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
11 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
11 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
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