- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Days after Simon Poidevin raised his eyebrows over Eddie Jones’ “high risk” selection of Tom Hooper in the prized No.7 jersey for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup opener at the MCG, fellow Randwick and Wallabies great David Campese has too questioned the direction the Wallabies are heading on the eve of the World Cup.
Jones, who was parachuted into the role in mid-January, pulled yet another selection surprise by turning to rookie Carter Gordon to partner livewire Tate McDermott in the halves to take on the All Blacks.
The promoted duo were two of seven changes to the starting side from the team that lost 34-31 to Argentina a fortnight ago, with fit-again backs Jordan Petaia and Andrew Kellaway also called up.
As well as injecting youth and speed into the side, Jones has named a bigger forward pack by promoting damaging loose-head prop Angus Bell and the bigger body of Hooper, who will play his second Test, at openside flanker in favour of Fraser McReight.
Tate McDermott will start against the All Blacks at the MCG. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The selections point to Jones wanting to be lethal on the counter as well as being able to withstand the physical onslaught and pace the All Blacks will surely try to play with.
But after consecutive defeats to start his second tenure in charge of the Wallabies, where Jones’ men had less than 40 per cent of possession in both Tests, the pressure is starting to build on the veteran coach’s plan less that two months out from the World Cup.
Compounding the concerns, the beatings on the scoreboard come months after Jones said “possession rugby is dead”.
Campese, who played alongside Jones at Randwick and is the Wallabies’ greatest tryscorer, said he’s been scratching his head over the past month by the game plan served up by his old teammate.
“I actually have got no idea,” Campese told New Zealand’s The Platform on Friday. “
“I actually don’t know because when he arrived in Australia early this year, he went back to his school, brought the Ellas along and went there, and thought it’s great to be back at school and said in the paper, ‘all these kids, everyone should learn to play like the Ellas. You know, run with the ball’.
“Then a month later he comes out and said: ‘running rugby’s dead in Australia, we’re going to kick the ball away to win the World Cup.’
“So, the reality is great when you first come, then he talks up a lot of game. Before going to South Africa he talked about ‘this is going to be better than the Ashes, mate’ and then what happened?”
David Campese has questioned Eddie Jones’ game plan ahead of the Bledisloe Cup. Mandatory Credit: Russell Cheyne/Allsport
Campese, who was a maverick on the field and famously threw a no-look overhead pass to Tim Horan for a stunning try against the All Blacks on their way to the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991, said the Wallabies were paying the price for not having established combinations on the field.
He also questioned the benefit of including overseas stars like Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi in the Wallabies side, pointing to the lack of cohesion within the team as a result of their inclusions.
“I think he’s still trying to find the combinations. My belief, whenever I played, the more you play with the guys around you, the more confidence you get, you anticipate, you try different things because your mates are there,” he said.
“When you’ve got guys like Quade (Cooper), (Samu) Kerevi, (Marika) Koroibete, all playing overseas, when they come back into play, they’ve got no combinations. It takes months and months to get a combination going, especially at nine and 10.
“I know he’s got to experiment, but anything could happen, because when you pick a team and you don’t know who you’re playing against, you’re a bit more wary and I think that’s what he’s trying to do.”
The Wallabies are rank outsiders against Ian Foster’s All Blacks, who have started The Rugby Championship on fire after stunning victories over Argentina and South Africa.
Both victories have come off the back of fast starts, where the All Blacks have raced out of the blocks to shock their Southern Hemisphere rivals.
Eddie Jones (coach) says the Wallabies can put the All Blacks under pressure. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Despite being massive underdogs, Jones has been on the front-foot for the past fortnight saying the All Blacks don’t have a “mortgage” on playing fast rugby and that the Wallabies would be ready to take on their fancied rivals without the baggage of years gone by.
“We’re an Australian team, we’re developing as a team, can we put the Kiwis under pressure on Saturday, yes,” Jones said.
“And I think some people are going to get a surprise. I can see the way you’re sitting here and thinking what’s this bloke talking about. How can this Australian team do it. The All Blacks have been fantastic for the first two games and you have been mate. But you’re still fans with keyboards, right? Nothing’s changed.”
The Wallabies last held the Bledisloe Cup in 2002.
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.