Five things we learned: Eddie's World Cup crunch call looming for No.7 jersey, Brumby who fits bill for 10 role

Eddie Jones has enjoyed a six-month honeymoon, but judgement day is about to arrive.

Selection is the hallmark of any international coach. It’s something that has defined Jones as a coach throughout his three decades as a coach.

When he arrived at Pennyhill Park, he appointed Dylan Hartley – England’s dirtiest player, with a disciplinary record to make Lachlan Swinton look like a saint – as the nation’s captain. It was a breakaway from tradition and it worked a treat.

One of the few times he got selection wrong was in the 2000 Super Rugby final.

George Smith – arguably Australia’s best player of the 21st century – was selected on the bench, with veteran Brumbies skipper Brett Robinson preferred in the starting side. The decision backfired.

Eventually, Smith came onto the field early in the second half and turned the match. He went hard at the breakdown, won turnovers and scored a crucial try to help give the Brumbies a sniff.

George Smith came close to helping run down the Crusaders in the 2000 Super Rugby final after coming off the bench. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Two decades later and Jones has several big decisions to make, particularly at hooker, openside flanker, fly-half and fullback.

With Australia having few hard on-ball players across the XV and the window of opportunity even tighter at the international level, the importance of whoever wears the No.7 jersey is even greater in the modern age.

It’s why he would have watched on with concern over the weekend, as the man who has worn the No.7 jersey for the past decade, Michael Hooper, struggled to have any influence at the breakdown against the Blues. Indeed, Hooper made no impact when he attempted to slow the ball down in the seventh minute, 38th and 50th.

That’s not surprising because Hooper has never been a hard on-baller, instead relying on his huge engine, work rate, and explosiveness in the carry and in defence, but Hooper’s sheer lack of impetus continued concerns about the veteran’s place in the Wallabies moving forward.

Jones is no fool. He will understand Hooper’s status and standing in Australian rugby, but he will also recognise Tests are often won and lost at the breakdown.

Eddie Jones has a big decision to make as to whether Michael Hooper is his preferred No.7. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Without a hard onballer at hooker (Tolu Latu was given little time in the saddle at the Waratahs to push his case), nor options in the midfield like France’s Jonathan Danty, Jones must find someone who can compete at the breakdown.

Nor are there any straightforward options. Australia doesn’t have someone of the size and explosiveness of Ardie Savea nor the warrior-like grit of Sam Cane or durability and brilliance of Josh Van der Flier.

Fraser McReight, although not getting the same pay against the Chiefs who boast an international-esque forward pack and the best balanced back-row in the competition, made 18 turnovers across the tournament.

He might not have the size as Cane, but he’s got a knack for a pilfer and has the work-rate and pace to match anyone. He made 28 tackles without a miss against the Chiefs on Saturday.

How first-year Brumby could be World Cup bolter

It was almost a decade ago that Jack Debreczeni made his debut for the Melbourne Rebels.

During his five-year stint at the Rebels, Debreczeni had a skill set and boot to match any in Australia. His Achilles heel was consistency.

When Debreczeni needed to step up, he went back into his shell and wilted under pressure.

But after spreading his wings by playing in Japan and spending a season at the Chiefs, as well as two seasons at Northland in New Zealand, Debreczeni has returned to Australia a changed player.

There were hints of it early in the season where he bossed the Brumbies’ pre-season fixtures. It led to Stephen Larkham picking Debreczeni ahead of young Test playmaker Noah Lolesio for the opening two Super Rugby fixtures.

Surprise, surprise the Brumbies delivered their best performance of the year by beating the Blues in Melbourne.

Brumbies playmaker Jack Debreczeni will come up against his former team when he likely starts against the Chiefs in Saturday’s Super Rugby semi-final. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

On Saturday night in Canberra, Larkham once again chose Debreczeni in the No.10 jersey and the decision paid off. Debreczeni was marvellous, steering the side across the park, using his great boot to great effect and running to the line.

After passing out the back well in the lead up to Ollie Sapsford’s opening try, Debreczeni decided to run the ball soon after.

He took the ball to the line in the 16th and got over the gain line. Thirty seconds later he did it again, standing flat at the line, he got Jordie Barrett to turn his shoulders and stand still and had too much strength for Billy Proctor.

It was a fine piece of play from the 30-year-old that showed his understanding of the importance of playing flat and running the ball.

In the 20th minute, the Brumbies benefitted from Debreczeni’s giant boot as he found grass from inside the 22m line by finding touch on the opposition 10m line. It was another sign of his developing rugby smarts.

International rugby, particularly at World Cups, are generally won by halves with great kicking games. Experience is crucial, too.

Debreczeni’s a flashback to the days of David Knox and Larkham, where Australia’s playmakers could pass off one step. It’s a lost art. It allows time and space for those outside them but also opens up space when running the ball, with defenders caught between short and long options.

Carter Gordon has been the young playmaker that has caught Australia’s attention in 2023. Jones even sees a hint of Butch James – the 2007 World Cup-winning Springboks about him – in the Rebels youngster, but he’s also at the start of his journey.

While his skill set is exciting, driving his team to victories he has yet to master. It’s a factor Jones will likely consider when putting his squad together.

Fullback’s glaring weakness that has cast doubt on World Cup jersey

Tom Wright has been Australia’s best fullback this year with ball-in-hand. He makes things happen and often makes those around him look better.

But his defensive frailties were once again brutally exposed on Saturday.

It was back in March he was outpaced by Blues lock Tom Robinson in Melbourne. It was a deceptive turn of pace, but it was the ease that the lock got past Wright that raised eyebrows.

On Saturday, he was burnt by Hurricanes flanker Devan Flanders.

Wright was never going to be stepped back on the inside by the 110kg, 193cm blindside flanker yet hesitated in going into whack the back-rower and instead barely laid a hand on him.

Jones would have noted the missed tackle.

There’s work still to be done by Wright to sew up the No.15 jersey.

Reds’ masterful game-plan a pointer to what’s needed in Super finals – and the World Cup

All year Jones has hinted that the Wallabies will adopt a greater kicking game under his watch, including at next month’s Bledisloe opener at the MCG.

“There’ll be a hundred thousand people there, right, and we kick the ball 70 times and we beat New Zealand, everybody is going to be happy,” Jones told a packed Australian Schoolboys audience at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney in March.

“(If) we kick the ball 10 times and we get beaten 40-10, they’re going to walk out kicking stones.

“So we’ve got to be junkies for winning, not junkies for possession. Possession rugby is dead. It’s dead for the moment and it’s probably going to be dead for a long period of time.

“The game’s about being fast now. You’ve got 75 per cent of tries being scored in three phases – 75 per cent.

“So why would you keep the ball for 10 phases.

“That’s just stupid to even think like that anymore, and unfortunately there’s that thinking still in rugby.”

On Saturday, we saw yet another indication as to why kicking in the modern game is essential as the first-placed Chiefs took on the eighth-placed Reds.

On every measure, the Chiefs should have smashed the Reds. They didn’t, and it came down to the final few minutes for Clayton McMillan’s men, who boast All Blacks across the park, to beat the Reds.

Interestingly, there were 95 kicks from hand between in the match – more than double than any of the three other quarter-finals.

Tom Lynagh wore the No.10 jersey for the Reds as the eighth-placed side pushed the minor-premier Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato on June 10, 2023, in Hamilton. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The Reds kicked magnificently and benefitted from having kicking options right across the backline, but their accuracy and strong kick-chase meant the Chiefs couldn’t counter like they usually do. They also managed to get three attacking lineouts from 50-22s.

The Brumbies will have noticed how the Reds have gone about their business against the Chiefs in recent months.

They will have also noticed the Reds’ success at the scrum. The Chiefs were smashed in the area and the Reds’ success in the area allowed them to kick to the corner.

Old dog, new tricks

James Slipper won’t make many highlights reels, but the loosehead prop is one of Australian rugby’s most valuable players.

While tight-heads are generally the most sought-after front-rowers, Slipper’s value can’t simply be put down to dollars. It’s why the 34-year-old’s retention was a crucial bit of business for Rugby Australia and the Brumbies over the past two months.

Slipper is old school and his values of hard work and playing for the bloke outside you are perfectly aligned to the Brumbies ethos.

It’s why Jones is strongly considering one of the Brumbies’ front-rowers – Slipper or Allan Alaalatoa – as his captain for this year’s World Cup.

He’s also playing the best rugby of his career.

He’s scrummaging well, bettering Tyrel Lomax on the weekend, while getting through a mountain of work.

His 73-minute shift was a big one against the Hurricanes.

Christy Doran’s Australian Super Rugby team of the week:

James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Sef Fa’agase, Angus Blyth, Ned Hanigan, Rob Valetini, Luke Reimer, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, Jack Debreczeni, Josh Flook, James O’Connor, Len Ikitau, Suliasi Vunivalu, Tom Wright