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SAINT ETIENNE – Eddie Jones is poised to inject a new-look midfield against Portugal, with Izaia Perese firming to start in what shapes as the Wallabies’ final World Cup fixture on Sunday (Monday, 1:45am AEST).
The Roar understands Perese will link up with his Waratahs teammate Lalakai Foketi in the midfield, replacing Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia.
The partnership will likely shore up some of the defensive issues the Wallabies experienced against Wales.
Indeed, it took just a couple of minutes for Welsh skipper Jac Morgan to expose the Wallabies’ fresh combination of Ben Donaldson and Kerevi by slicing through first-phase from a lineout and sending halfback Gareth Davies in to score.
The inclusion of Foketi will not only provide some familiarity between the inside and outside backs, but it will also allow Perese, who has been waiting for his chance to prove his worth, to inject some physicality on the fringes.
Perese, who hitherto has been used sparingly by Jones, started the 2023 season slowly but built well into the year.
“Today was about physicality in our last main session before Portugal. The boys went hard,” Foketi told reporters on Thursday.
Izaia Perese is in line to make his World Cup debut against Portugal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
After watching Australia A finish over the top of Portugal in Paris in late August, the Wallabies are expecting the match to be a looser affair.
Foketi said it was important they kept their shape, but they would look to bring some more width into their game after Kerevi’s battering ram approach failed to bring the front-foot ball they wanted.
“We always talk about our game plan as a framework to get into the game,” Foketi said.
“Portugal are a good side, a really good sevens side, and we expect them to throw the ball around.
“We’ve got to be physical and, again, we’ve got to play what’s in front and we’ve missed a few opportunities in this World Cup to expose teams out wide and we’ve spoken about that this weekend and, if there’s opportunities there, we won’t be afraid to pull the trigger.”
Eddie Jones and Lalakai Foketi at Stade Roger Baudras on September 14, 2023 in Saint-Etienne. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Openside flanker Fraser McReight is also in line for a recall to the starting side, with the Reds star’s ability to get on the ball when the game is less physical and more open to be important.
Two-Test halfback Issak Fines-Leleiwasa is also set to return to the bench, with Nic White set to miss selection.
While the Wallabies are extremely long odds to progress through to the World Cup knockout stages, Jones will largely keep the core group together from the one that suffered a humbling 40-6 loss to Wales last weekend in Lyon.
The 36-point defeat, the largest in Wallabies history at a World Cup, came off the back of their first defeat to Fiji in 69 years.
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa and Izaia Perese are set to take on Portugal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Only a capitulation by Fiji in their final two Pool C fixtures against Georgia and Portugal would give the Wallabies a chance of making it through to the final eight.
Flying Fijian coach Simon Raiwalui has attempted to ensure that doesn’t occur, naming what appears to be a full-strength side from the one that beat the Wallabies 22-15.
“We’ve got a big job this weekend to leave on a high and potentially, who knows what happens this weekend, but to show Australia and our supporters that we do care,” Foketi said.
“We want to leave a massive performance out there and come away with a win.”
Amid speculation Eddie Jones could be looking for the exit door to Japan, the Wallabies’ Thursday session also saw Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh pop his head in.
Waugh, who is basing himself in Paris throughout the campaign, was a notable visitor and will spend the entire day with Jones’ Wallabies.
The CEO has insisted Jones has brushed away reports linking him to the soon-to-be vacant role with the Brave Blossoms.
Rising Wallabies star Tom Hooper was asked if he expected Jones to be coaching him beyond the World Cup campaign.
“I think everyone’s just really happy that Eddie’s coach at the moment,” said Hooper, who added that Jones’ demeanour had not changed.
“We’ve developed really well under him as a young team.
“He’s had a hard task to take us forward. And I’ve certainly gained a lot from being coached under him and whoever the coach is going forward.”
Tom Hooper embraces Will Skelton at full-time following the Wallabies’ loss to Wales at Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Hooper put his hand up for giving away a silly penalty in the first half against Wales and said it was important the side put their head down and not dwell on the results on the field and the backlash off it.
“Just how it got away from us, I think,” Hooper said was the hardest thing to digest.
“When you’re versing a class team, the northern hemisphere teams, when they’ve got such good goalkickers, it’s notching over on the scoreboard.
“Discipline let us down in a couple of areas there.
“It’s just hard to digest how quickly the game got away from us and then obviously just the reality hitting that we could be headed home.
“We’ve still got one game and we’re really positive about that and moving forward.
“[It] took a couple of days to sort of grieve on that and now you know we’re like the penguins from Madagascar we’re just coming out and ‘smile and wave, boys’ and get on with the job and then make sure that we’re putting a good good two training days in.”
The Wallabies will officially announce their team to take on Portugal on Friday at 5:30pm AEST.
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.