Eddie Jones defends Carter Gordon after off night with the tee
Eddie Jones insists the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup campaign remains on track despite a fifth straight loss in what was Australia’s worst defeat against France in more than 10 years.
Jones remained upbeat after the 41-17 pummelling in the warm-up Test at Stade de France, where his side will tackle Georgia in their opening pool game on Sunday, September 10 (AEST).
His gamble to rely on Carter Gordon for goal-kicking, when the rookie playmaker isn’t first choice for his Super side, proved costly, as he landed one of five shots.
He missed adding eight easy points in the first half for the Australians to trail 16-5 at the break.
Penalty goals have always been crucial during the quadrennial tournament, evidenced by referee Luke Pearce blowing 26 penalties – with 14 against Australia.
Jones said 22-year-old Gordon would continue to improve – as would the other youngsters in the side with 12 of the match-day 23 having fewer than 10 Tests to their name.
“All we can do is work with the young kid,” Jones said.
“We’ve got young kids in this team. We’re backing them and he’ll get better.”
“Obviously, we’d like to have a better win-loss record, but we’ve destabilised the team, we’ve taken away all the leadership that was there previously, we’ve got a new leadership team in place.
“We’re trying to play a different way and the results haven’t been good enough.
“I’m not hiding away from that but we do have a longer term plan in terms of the World Cup, and that’s what we’re here for.”
The veteran coach, who replaced Dave Rennie in January this year, remained adamant the Wallabies would eventually click, although he didn’t know when.
“We’re not a bad team, but we’re not a good team yet,” Jones said.
“And it’s just we’re going through the process of becoming a good team so we’ve just got to keep believing, keep working hard and it will come.
“It might be in two weeks time against Georgia, it might be three weeks against Fiji, might be four weeks against Wales, might be five weeks against Portugal – we don’t know when it’s going to come.”
As well as goal-kicking and discipline, the Wallabies’ defence in the outside channels was poor, with the French running in four tries, while the Australians struggled to convert their own attacking opportunities into points.
But Jones highlighted the positives for his side – namely the scrum, led by Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell, and the performance of ex-league winger Suliasi Vunivalu, who had his best showing in the gold jersey.
“Suli’s one who at Super Rugby level he couldn’t blow a candle out and now at Test level, he scored one good try and could have scored a couple more,” he said.
“He looks like he’s ready to play at the highest level.
“We’ve got a lot of players improving. What we haven’t got is that fit at the moment, that fit of everyone getting together.
“But we’ve got another two weeks to get ready for Georgia and we’ll move down that track pretty well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, 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.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 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.
2 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
2 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.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to comments