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DUBLIN – Four years ago the writing was on the wall for Eddie Jones. After a disastrous Six Nations campaign and a series defeat to the Springboks in South Africa, the perception was the Australian had lost his Midas touch and as winter loomed so did his future.
For a nation that had bombed at their home World Cup in 2015, there were fears reverberating around Twickenham that another car crash was coming.
From Sir Clive Woodward to Stuart Barnes, England’s pundits wanted Jones’ head.
One performance shifted the wave of negativity, as Jones’ side took it to the All Blacks, bursting out of the blocks and scoring early.
Ultimately, a controversial no-try to Sam Underhill meant England fell just short, losing 16-15 to the All Blacks who mounted a brilliant comeback and hung on in the wet. Funnily enough, those two proud nations will once again meet on Sunday AEDT.
But despite going down, England delivered a statement against the All Blacks. They took them up front and showed flashes of brilliance in attack. The performance, not the result, saw the Rugby Football Union back Jones into the World Cup – a tournament England stumbled at the last hurdle in the final.
In the minutes after the mouthwatering clash in London, another foreigner coaching Australia faces a similar moment of truth to the one Jones experienced one year out from the World Cup as Dave Rennie’s Wallabies face the music at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Rennie spoke of being a glass half full person at his team announcement on Thursday, but the mood reflects the short days in Dublin, where the sun barely rises and the air is crisp, following their embarrassing defeat to Italy in Florence.
Dave Rennie (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Just like Jones four years ago, Rennie doesn’t need a win so much as a performance. This is Ireland after all, the world No.1 nation.
If it doesn’t come, he will head to Cardiff with his future on the line.
On paper, Rennie’s squad is good enough to win. The front-row is solid, the backrow is balanced and the halves are proven internationals.
The great concern however is the constant chopping and changing does little for cohesion and combinations.
Consistency has dogged the Wallabies all year and stringing back to back performances together often develops when players trust each other and the system.
It is therefore no surprise that players are giving away “Dumb Arse Penalties”, as Rennie called them, because the constant changes do little to instill confidence.
Players, as Nic White said on Tuesday, overplay their hand trying to pull off a crucial moment for themselves as much as the team.
Captain James Slipper is vowing the Wallabies can find their best form again against Ireland.
“Performing off the back of a disappointment has probably been our biggest positive but in saying that I’d much prefer a consistent performance throughout the year,” Slipper said.
“It’s something that we’ve been chasing all year – it’s a massive area we need to improve in because at this stage it hasn’t been good enough.
“We will definitely rise to the occasion … we will respond just like we have throughout the year after adversity.
“I’m confident in the group we have and the coaches we have that we’ve got the game plan to put Ireland under pressure.
“We want to implement the game plan from the first whistle to the 80th minute – to close out a game would be nice.”
The Wallabies must be clinical at the breakdown to stand a chance against the Irish.
With back-rowers Josh van der Flier and Peter O’Mahony as well as lock Tadhg Beirne in the side, Ireland will be razor sharp at the breakdown.
If they can deliver Nic White some clean ball, the Wallabies can push Ireland and win back some respect.
Their coach’s future depends on it.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.