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Surprise, surprise the Wallabies aren’t as bad as Australians and the English might tell you they are. But, of course, they’re not.
Losing to three of World Rugby’s top four sides in four of their opening five matches with a new coach, new ideas and new playmakers was not time to throw the baby out with the bath water.
The Wallabies were always going to be far too fast, physical and skilful for Georgia, who might have started two places behind their opponents on the World Rugby standings but were never going to seriously challenge Eddie Jones’ side. After the game Australia jumped up three places from ninth to sixth, and Georgia fell from 11th to 13th.
In the end, the 35-15 scoreline reflected the difference between the two sides.
It wasn’t an emphatic statement to put the world on notice, but it was a gentle reminder that Jones’ men are in town.
With Angus Bell, Taniela Tupou and Will Skelton in the pack, as well as the athletic and potent threats of Jordan Petaia, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Marika Koroibete, this is a side that is building and capable of plenty in all conditions. It can’t be scoffed at.
Had the Wallabies’ lineout not been picked to pieces in the final 15 minutes with the Georgians getting up to disrupt Matt Faessler’s throw, with the absence of a specialist tall lock on the bench brutally exposed, they would have been closer to a half-century on the scoreboard.
Jones will be satisfied. His Rugby Australia bosses will be relieved. But they need not have been concerned.
The Wallabies delivered a timely reminder that they remain a World Cup threat after beating Georgia at Stade de France on September 09, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Wallabies were never going to wilt in the heat despite the temperature at the Stade de France – 34 degrees Celsius when Ben Donaldson kicked off and the mercury dropping just two notches when the final whistle was blown by Luke Pearce at 8pm local time.
Jones will have seen the match as a good hit-out. Five points with the bonus. But nothing more.
Sterner tests await as soon as next weekend when the Wallabies take on Fiji in Saint Etienne – the city south-east of Paris, where they have made the former mining city their home since arriving in France.
Captain Skelton was colossal.
He might have lost the best part of 10 kilograms since returning to Australia in late June to start the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign, but to not just cart his 140kg-plus body around the field on the hottest of days and use it to batter his Georgian opponents showed a man willing to lead through action.
The French-based star was the Wallabies’ best. He carried regularly and got on the ball two win two clean turnovers during his 70-minute showing.
Jones in part gave Skelton the captaincy because he recognised the need to find the missing 10 per cent in the La Rochelle-based forward’s game in the Test arena.
His choice words in a huddle following Tate McDermott’s ugly concussion were apt.
As the Wallabies got loose, he called them together in a huddle and said, “Just do your f—king job”.
Without him, as well as Tupou who was replaced at the same time, backs Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson would not have looked as silky as they did in attack.
Will Skelton was one of the Wallabies’ best against Georgia at Stade de France on September 09, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Indeed, the strong set-piece platform provided by the Wallabies’ front-row was another huge tick.
As was their strong discipline, which saw the Wallabies give away just seven penalties – their lowest number this World Cup cycle.
After being controversially selected ahead of Andrew Kellaway, Donaldson did enough to suggest he could keep the role as he justified Jones’ bold call to start him at fullback.
He landed 15 points off the boot, including three first-half penalties, in a 25-point haul that saw him awarded player of the match.
His line onto a sublime ball from Carter Gordon in the 69th minute earned an applause from Jones and so it should have. It was a brilliant overs line that saw him score easily and put some shine on the scoreboard.
But the two missed tackles in the minutes after out wide would not have gone unnoticed either.
Ben Donaldson scored two tries in the Wallabies’ first-up World Cup win over Georgia in Paris. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
Defensively Donaldson struggles and falls off tackles. That’s an aspect that he will have to improve because Kellaway would not have simply been brushed away.
Samu Kerevi took a crucial step forward during a 40-minute effort that will do him the world of good after coming back from a hand surgery last month that denied him weeks of conditioning.
Jones will be relieved his big men came away unscathed despite one or two scares, including to Skelton.
But he has a decision to make at halfback.
McDermott’s departure in the 35th minute after suffering a concussion means Jones will likely have to call into the starting side a new halfback to take on Fiji. The relief is the nippy halfback was smiling on the sidelines and will hopefully only miss the clash against the Flying Fijians.
The bad news is Nic White remains off the pace with his tempo.
Despite the Wallabies playing Georgia down to 14 men after a yellow card in the seconds before half-time, their game-management was horrible in the passage and White has a responsibility to ensure his fellow playmakers play at the right end of the field.
But it wasn’t just that, White took an age to release the ball and the tempo and pace of the game was sucked up like the hot air after he was injected.
Yes the stifling conditions played a part, but this isn’t something new. White’s lack of pace and inability to keep the tempo high was on display even before flying to France.
Nic White (R) is in the frame to start against Fiji after Tate McDermott (L) failed his Head Injury Assessment following a sickening tackle gone wrong at Stade de France on September 09, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
It also seemingly goes against the change in tactics and identity that Jones is attempting to usher through, which is built around playing off the cuff and with pace.
Not that he necessarily shared that opinion.
“Look, I wouldn’t say that,” Jones said. “Maybe you’ve got that judgement but I wouldn’t necessarily agree with you.”
Yet, Jones did admit the second half wasn’t as strong as the first.
“One thing I know in a World Cup is that you want to get better week-by-week,” he said.
“We had the game, not won, but in the position to win it at half-time. We didn’t really allow them a chance to get into the game.
“Whilst the second half wasn’t our absolute best, parts of our first half there was some really good stuff, that’s part of our progression in the tournament.”
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa has played just one Test, but Jones has rarely hesitated in backing youth in recent years.
Even still, Fines-Leleiwasa, whose pin-point box kick in one of his first touches to set up a try for Suliasi Vunivali in the warm up game, showed that the 27-year-old can certainly cut it on the Test stage.
It’s a case of whether he wants to match fire with fire against Fiji by starting Fines-Leleiwasa or instead prefers White’s ability to slow the match down in the opening half against a nation renowned for wanting to play up-tempo rugby.
The fact that the Wallabies came away otherwise unscathed will have Jones relieved and happy. Indeed, their campaign rests on keeping Tupou and Angus Bell fit.
For now, Jones will head to Bordeaux to watch Fiji take on Wales.
“We’ll worry about Fiji next week,” he said.
“At the moment all we want to do is enjoy the win. The players have worked really hard. I’m going to go out tomorrow to Bordeaux and maybe have a nice red wine as well.”
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.