Opinion
For 40 minutes in Dunedin, Eddie Jones watched the young No.10 he had thrust into the hot seat against the All Blacks a week earlier grow in stature and confidence. What Eddie failed to do, though, was fully quantify what the next 40 minutes of prodigiously talented youngster’s Carter Gordon’s game meant, and the underlying trend that had followed Carter throughout his Super Rugby season.
When Richie Mo’unga came on the field and guided his team home, sealing the match for the All Blacks with a late penalty goal, it should have been clear to Eddie that his young Flyhalf had a lot more to learn before he was ready to orchestrate a team at a World Cup.
Carter Gordon. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Jones even said as much the week before after Carter’s hot and cold performance in Melbourne, comparing the two Flyhalfves at stages of their careers: “I think he’s the best young 10 in Australia.” Jones said. “I’ve seen Richard Mo’unga play Tests like that. And Richard Mo’unga if you look at his first 45 Tests, he had a bit of up and down in it. He wasn’t good enough, then he was good enough.”
Eddie Jones is right to say Carter Gordon is hands down “the best young 10 in Australia.” And after being handed the keys to the Melbourne Rebels, Carter stepped out of Matt To’omua’s shadow and lit up the competition, quickly establishing himself as a future star of our game. But one problem remained for the youngster and the Rebels. Game after game they would get themselves in positions to win, yet Carter would be unable to close out the match, this is a skill that generally takes time to master, developed by trial and error through learned experiences on the football field.
So why did Jones, a highly savvy World Cup operator, decide a young Flyhalf with a flashy highlights reel featuring crisp, beautiful passing would be the one and only general in his squad? Jones knows the Webb Ellis Cup is raised by battle hardened no10’s that have been squeezed with relentless pressure over years before they became the diamond players we all immortalise in folklore. Think of names like Jonny Wilkinson; Dan Carter; Stephen Larkham or Michael Lynagh.
Carter Gordon with Ben Donaldson. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
How did he believe Carter could possibly squeeze all the necessary learning into a handful of International games before being expected to be the field general to an already grossly inexperienced side, while also being expected to carry the goalkicking responsibilities?
Jones saw a diamond in the rough at Dunedin, licked his lips and decided he’d be the one and only to polish it.
So it was out with Quade Cooper, no room for Bernard Foley. The only safety blanket for Carter was naming a Utility (whatever position that is?) in Ben Donaldson, a flyhalf as inexperienced as Carter, and a player who seems more comfortable in the fullback role and the space that affords him.
After hooking Carter after 50 minutes against the marvellous Fiji, Eddie might feel like dropping his young Flyhalf back to the bench. He must fight that urge, and after originally going all in on Carter he should drop his “Randwick” favourite Donaldson to the bench, bring Andrew Kellaway back to the Fullback role, and throw the keys to Carter.
Let him run the show for at least 60 minutes, attack like only he can (in our squad at least), then bring on Donaldson to close it out.
We all know the best diamonds are made under intense pressure and there is nothing more intense than do or die rugby. With Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson Eddie Jones may have uncovered two diamonds, even if they aren’t ready in time for this World Cup.
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