The Wallabies’ World Cup campaign is all but over. Whether Eddie Jones’ second tenure in charge of Australia is over remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t surprise if this soap opera was canned after just one season.
After a historic 22-15 loss to Fiji, Warren Gatland’s Wales twisted the knife into the Wallabies’ World Cup hopes as the red in the stands turned into a sea of blood on the field by claiming an emphatic 40-6 victory before a packed house at the Olympique Lyonnais.
More blood will likely be spilt after the Wallabies’ worst defeat in a Rugby World Cup match.
Rugby Australia’s decision to parachute Jones into the head coaching role at the expense of Dave Rennie seems a catastrophic misjudgement.
Perhaps not fatal for Australian rugby but certainly an almighty blow at the start of their so-called “golden decade”.
Australian rugby was sold a Gucci handbag but what they got turned out to be nothing but a rip-off bag made in a sweat shop, with the Wallabies losing seven of eight Tests since Jones’ return in January.
Eddie Jones’ Wallabies are all but out of the Rugby World Cup after suffering their worst World Cup defeat against Wales Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
On Friday morning Jones spoke of building a team for the future ahead of the home 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Despite a bombshell report linking Jones to another national union on Sunday, his chief executive Phil Waugh said he wanted the Wallabies coach to lead that future, too.
Whether he is a part of that future is now very much on shaky ground.
Jones said he was “bloody disappointed” with the result and that he had let the nation down.
He added that he was entirely “committed” to coaching the Wallabies going forward, saying “I don’t know what you’re talking about” with regards to a report linking him to the Japanese head coaching role.
“I came back to Australia to try and help. At the moment I’m not giving much help, am I? But that doesn’t mean my commitment to help has changed. I’m a proud Australian and I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we’ve been doing, particularly under my reign, I came back to try and help,” Jones said.
“There’s not only the Wallabies we’ve got to improve, we’ve got to improve the whole system in Australian rugby. That’s not an excuse, but we’ve got to have a really good look at ourselves and see what we’ve got to do to improve the way we’re going about our rugby.”
Samu Kerevi reacts after the Wallabies’ loss to Wales at Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Every move Jones has made since returning to Australian rugby, at least in the short term, has blown up in smoke.
From appointing a coaching team of misfits and waving goodbye to household names and making extraordinary selection decisions, including entrusting two unproven playmakers on the world’s biggest stage, Jones’ decision-making has been found wanting.
Yet, as he did at his team announcement on Friday, Jones remained steadfast in his belief that he needed to usher through a new generation of players.
“I was put in this job to turn Australia around and I don’t think I could have done it with the players that had been playing. I think we needed a fresh change,” he said.
“Sure the young guys struggled in the environment today but unless they get that experience they’re not going to mature into the players they can be.
“This is the most painful time, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also the best learning time for a young team and young players. This is where they really learn about the game and they learn where you’ve got to be at Test level.”
The pressure will surely turn on his employers at Rugby Australia, too.
With the game in financial crisis, Jones has been given everything, including an estimated $1 million to employ psychologists, to help change the Australian rugby landscape.
If anything, it has gone backward under his watch.
Jones covered his mouth as he watched the Wallabies unravel. He might have wished he could shut his eyes.
Their defeat was a death by a 1,000 cuts as every aspect of the Wallabies’ game from their scrum, maul, lineout, defence, kicking game and decision making was exposed.
“F–k mate, what didn’t go wrong? Toulouse-based lock Richie Arnold told reporters following the defeat.
Andrew Kellaway added: “I don’t know if it was a lack of experience, I think we just got bashed. At the set-piece they beat us, they out kicked us. They showed us how to manage a game.”
The Wallabies react during their heavy loss to Wales. (Photo by Getty Images)
Nor will it end any time soon, with the Wallabies to take on Portugal next weekend in Saint Etienne before having to wait in France for the final week of matches to play.
It took just 15 seconds for the Wallabies to give away their first penalty, as those breakdown woes returned.
This time, however, it was on the defensive ruck as Dave Porecki failed to roll away.
While Wales didn’t land the immediate blow they didn’t have to wait long as Gareth Davies scored after Jac Morgan left Ben Donaldson for dead in the midfield and their cunning halfback finished it off in just the third minute. It was the start of a horrible evening for Donaldson.
The Wallabies regathered and took three points soon after as Donaldson put the men in gold on the scoreboard. It could have been more had Angus Bell not spilt Richie Arnold’s lovely offload.
Donaldson fumbled Tate McDermott’s dodgy pass, but fortunately the halves rallied as the halfback eventually cleared well.
Some early scrum dominance saw the Wallabies narrow the margin to 7-6 as Donaldson banked another three.
But a needless Tom Hooper attempted cleanout at the ruck allowed Wales to extend their lead to four points.
The Wallabies should have got some pay out of Rob Leota’s linebreak out wide after he burst onto McDermott’s ball and was tackled just 10 metres out from the line.
While Samu Kerevi’s decision to cut back on the inside rather than unleash his men out wide was mitigated by the advantage Wayne Barnes was playing, the Wallabies’ next decision and failure to execute at the lineout swung the game.
The Wallabies turned down another three points and kicked for the corner. The only issue is the Wallabies lifters fell over themselves and Wales turned defence into attack and won a 50-22.
Ben Donaldson at Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
It wasn’t long before 13-6 became 16-6 as Rob Valetini dove onto a loose ball at the base of the ruck and was penalised.
Like the first half, more pain was on its way from the outside in the second half as the Wallabies were held up from the kick restart and then their scrum gave away a penalty. So much for discipline, as Wales moved to 19-6 in the blink of an eye.
Some Anscombe magic saw Wales then deliver the hammer blow as his heads up rugby and chip kick bounced into the arms of Nick Tompkins and the centre scored. Game. Set. Match.
A high tackle from Kerevi allowed Anscombe to deliver another blow in the 52nd minute.
The sight of Donaldson being replaced after 53 minutes for Carter Gordon, who was dumped to the bench following his struggles against Fiji, said it all.
Anscombe landed another penalty in the 60th minute before Morgan, who started it all as he broke free in the opening minutes of the match, scored from a maul to see Wales rub more suit into the wound.
inyo52959178
Roar Rookie
We are not just blaming Foster. We are extremely critical of the Cronyistic process by which he was appointed. Same as Eddie....both have been failures. Both boards should be flicked off. NZR has had its Review. AR needs one now..they appointed Eddie..they are accountable for their decision.
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
I have not been proposing more SR sides but a provincial or state base competition one layer below that (Tier 3) similar to the NPC and Currie Cup. Our players that are not playing test rugby but that are professional players is playing against amateurs in the club competitions - or is idle at the end of the SR season. If you compare the number of games NZ and South African sides play against other professionals then it becomes clear why our players take so long to develop.
GrahamVF
Roar Rookie
Bliksem, South Africa had six franchises Bulls, Lions, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetas and Kings all playing in the top franchise level with BLSS. SA dropped the Cheetas and Kings to the Currie Cup. Between the Schools level and the Currie Cup is the Varsity Cup which is contested in two tiers between 12 unis nationwide. I agree with what you wrote in an earlier post: "You need at least a team in each population centre so that juniors have a pathway to play professional rugby. The problem with Australian rugby is the Sydney club competition that think they are Australian rugby." I can't comment on the politics of Sydney rugby but I agree with the rest. However, I reiterate the answer is not to have more top tier teams which are hopelessly diluted and thereby unavoidably weakened, but to have a progression into the three top tier franchises. More money into the lower tiers - chasing after hugely expensive league players is certainly not the answer. That money would be far better spent on developing a nation wide second tier competition. South Africa gets their budgets for lower tier competitions by making sure thay get extensive TV coverage which encourages sponsors. First National Bank completely sponsors the Varsity Cup to the tune of about $5m and that competition produced more than half of the Boks' squad in France and is constantly throwing up players like Caanan Moodie, Kurt Leigh Arendse as the most recent.
Butch
Roar Rookie
The problem is that there is no end to a regime unless there is a credible challenge -that can only come from— The RA Board - that would be a joke The State unions - another lot asleep at the wheel the masses - a revolution would be required - tear down RA - set up an alternative competition if RA won’t change
Butch
Roar Rookie
The important thing to realise in all this gut wrenching analysis we are all engaging in as we flail about after yesterday is we need change and we need a means of achieving it. This involves numerous major issues - not just the coach and his assistants but the selection of players and the systems that produce them. The scope of required change is considerable - emphasising that the fundamental issue is a Chair of Rugby Australia who can unite , inspire trust
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Jez, and The Guardian scribe did not miss when he likened HMs attitude to “Let them eat cake” The reign of the cowboy royalty running Australian rugby has surely ended?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ Donaldson was horrible, made four mistakes in as many minutes with no pressure and such poor decision-making, no wonder the Waratahs cut him loose, and EJ brings him back as the 10 for the nation’s team! Go figure! This was really dumb player selection.” Jono, you missed the memo it seems. Donno was there because what was utterly important was to cull Australia’s most senior (and most statically successful) playmaker. Especially after that playmaker had not performed under the Jones utterly WRONGHEADED GAME PLAN philosophy, as in, a new plan every week. Jones (and the big Hamish horse he rode in on) have murdered not only the credibility of Australian rugby, they have also unceremoniously ended the test careers of fine people into the bargain. Dave Rennie Michael Hooper Quade Cooper Pete Samu (Other younger names have possibility of international returns) The making of a gain, it is said involves pain. But the value in those four names there are worth more than the ‘gain’ sold by Hamish, and ‘delivered’ by Eddie. And NONE of them were given any due ceremony. And in the case of Rennie and Cooper, insults were hurled at them from the Eddie Apologists as Eddie and his Winning Squad flew off to France. Rennie’s Zoom call dismissal, then the Kumbaya tag. Then Quade’s still unexplained sacking, without notice, prior to any coherent Jones game plan (one that the nation still awaits). Quade will be doing our nation a favour when he reveals the Jones/Cooper exchanges in 2023, lest we naively remain victim to this sort of McLennan/Jones corporate megalomania again. Above the door of the RA Office a sign must be installed: “Remember the Folly Culminating in 2023….Whatever It Takes…..Never Again.”
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Only one team was playing rugby last night. Some honesty from Kellaway. ANDREW KELLAWAY "Gutted, absolutely gutted. "I don’t know if it was a lack of experience, I think we just got bashed. At the set-piece they beat us, they out kicked us. They showed us how to manage a game. Pretty well every area of the game tonight we got beaten. You can call it what you want, we got beaten at rugby unfortunately. I don’t know if that’s an experience thing, that’s just a rugby thing"
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Exactly 13th. Cooper for example doesn’t need to be anything except the best or 2nd best 10 available for Australia.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ What pisses me off the most is that Eddie did NOT pick the best side Australia had to offer; even though it was the WORLD CUP !! I liked the idea of giving some promising new guys a shot at it; totally back the bringing home to the Wallabies overseas players that were clearly the best Australians for the job – but there was no Plan B.” There was no Plan A,C or D either. We were stuck in an opaque Plan E.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
they need to win the west.. or at least start a whole new comp out that way west of Parra as the eastern based clubs didn't fancy the 1 + hour trek to play games out there.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
that crossed my mind today when they mentioned its the 1st ever Brizzy GF double.. kids will be swamped by media saturation of Reece Walsh and now Neale with his 2nd brownlow.. who are the Reds heroes they can look up to, or any Reds they can name... truly a sad state of affairs..
East Coast Aces
Roar Rookie
nonsense. Eddie has only beaten Georgia to inflate his win percentage. otherwise he'd be 0%. Rennie has a lot better average even without minnows to inflate his numbers
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
Dumb idea, did it 2017 and that was when our decline in World Rugby started. Just an idiot will propose something that doesn’t work and that caused so much harm. You need at least a team in each population centre so that juniors have a pathway to play professional rugby. The problem with Australian rugby is the Sydney club competition that think they are Australian rugby.
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
What franchises did South Africa dump? Not any. The reason South Africa has so much depth is because their players get more opportunities to play. Not only the Currie Cup, there is a national footprint where every player is within a few hours from a provincial sidel. Same as in NZ, Australia still doesn’t have a national footprint and are plagued with narrow minded Sydney based people that cannot see beyond a club competition.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
They get a spot. But it just might be in a groups with two powerhouse teams
Josh
Roar Rookie
all points mentioned, i agree with. i think it must be mentioned that beyond the blue mountains into regional centres such as Dubbo, Bathurst, Orange etc, have also produced some great footballers for the current Panthers machine. Great talent identification in regional centres, moved to schools in the Panthers regions, playing age groups for the Panthers and moving into the system. It has taken many years but 4 grand finals in this era, with opportunity for more is quite an achievement. We are 9th or 10th in the world now. We should be looking closely at what the top 3 or 4 are doing and seeing what we can copy. No different to Toyota copying the american car makers when they were trying to close the gap.
Cec
Roar Rookie
That would be a first if the host doesn’t earn a spot
Cec
Roar Rookie
I would watch that made to real life movie
inyo52959178
Roar Rookie
Ikitau best 13..