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Eddie Jones’ cunning World Cup plans are coming to the fore, with the new Wallabies coach influential in helping orchestrate a series of Barbarians fixtures that will be Australian-heavy during the World Cup.
With no third-tier competition to fall back on and almost 17,000 kilometres separating Sydney from Paris, The Roar can revel Jones has helped plan as many as six Barbarian fixtures to coincide with the World Cup.
It means that if anything happens to his 33-man World Cup squad in France, Jones will have match-ready players across the English Channel to be able to call on when injury invariably strikes.
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones has helped orchestrate several Barbarians matches for Australians to play in. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
It’s a masterful play that could change how Jones configures his squad.
Waratahs defence coach Jason Gilmore, who will lead Australia A in a fixture against Tonga on July 15, is set to oversee the Barbarians.
He will be joined by outgoing Brumbies assistant Laurie Fisher, while Wallabies skills coach Berrick Barnes and Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey, who was Michael Cheika’s assistant at the past two World Cup campaigns, will split the duties and spend three weeks each with the squad.
The Barbarians will play five matches against English opposition, including Bristol, Gloucester and Harlequins, while a sixth fixture is being explored against Welsh opposition.
Just who features in the squad remains to be seen, but it’s expected it will be Australian-heavy with a view firmly on the next tier of players that could feature in Jones’ World Cup side.
Who selects the squad remains to be seen too, but it’s likely Jones, who coached the Barbarians against the World XV last month, will be influential in picking it.
As one source said, “The details are sketchy”.
Former Wallabies assistant Laurie Fisher will feature in Australian-heavy Barbarians coaching team throughout the World Cup. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
With Australia’s domestic competition over by July and pre-season for the 2024 campaign still months away, the fixtures have been devised firmly with a view of giving Jones the best opportunity to keep his fringe players match-fit and ready to be called on.
After being sensationally parachuted into the role in mid-January, Jones has several crucial selection decisions to make.
While Jones doesn’t have to name his World Cup squad officially until August 28, the day after the Wallabies play France in Paris in their last match before the tournament gets away on September 8, it’s believed the experienced coach could name his squad as early as before the Bledisloe Cup in late July.
Jones wants to get the core of his players playing together focused on their “smash and grab” mission without any distractions.
But whether he takes three hookers, three halfbacks and three playmakers remains to be seen. It’s why he’s been looking for a playmaker who can also cover fullback, or a halfback who could play fly-half if injury strikes.
Whether Eddie Jones takes three halfbacks and three playmakers remains to be seen. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
In 2015, Michael Cheika took just two hookers and two halfbacks to the World Cup and had the luxury of Matt Giteau, who could cover multiple positions, in his squad. He later added a third hooker to the 2015 World Cup campaign after injury struck throughout his squad.
Four years later Cheika named three hookers, but still named just two halfbacks – experienced Wallabies Will Genia and Nic White.
Jones, meanwhile, named just two halfbacks in his squad four years ago, with Ben Youngs playing the bulk of the minutes.
For the 2023 tournament, World Rugby has increased the squad size to 33 because of the increased understanding of concussion and protocols surrounding return to play.
How Jones uses the extra two selections remains to be seen, but the openness of the squad, where there are several options but few clearcut choices, will make selection tricky.
The fact Jones has just five official Tests to prepare for the tournament means the 63-year-old will have little time to experiment.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones during a training camp at Sanctuary Cove on April 18, 2023. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
What does seem likely is Jones will be granted two additional overseas selections for the World Cup, which will be known as the ‘Eddie Exceptions’, meaning the Wallabies could field five foreign-based players.
Interestingly, Jones included six foreign-based Wallabies in his April training camp, which featured two locks (French-based Will Skelton and Richie Arnold) and two playmakers (Japanese-based Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley).
Should Jones indeed be allowed to include five overseas-based players in his World Cup, it could mean the Wallabies coach is wanting to have one of the important aforementioned players playing for the Barbarians close by should a serious injury strike throughout the tournament.
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.