The return of former England coach Eddie Jones to take the reins of the Wallabies represents a bet by Australian rugby chiefs.
They imagine that later this 12 months Jones can ship the World Cup — which he got here near doing in his earlier stint with Australia just for England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson’s drop purpose to disclaim the Wallabies in Sydney in 2003.
Watch The World Rugby 7’s Series Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Here are three key factors surrounding Jones’s appointment that was introduced on Monday:
YESTERDAY’S MAN?
“Coaching at the next World Cup will be difficult,” Jones informed the Sydney Morning Herald after he was dismissed in December, admitting the final three years of his tenure in control of England had taken a toll.
A month later the unpredictable Australian seems to have had a sudden change of thoughts.
However, the primary query is whether or not his fortunes as a coach get pleasure from as fast a turnaround after a depressing 2022 when his report was hardly any higher than the person he’s changing, Dave Rennie.
In his favour he does — somewhat like Jose Mourinho in soccer — have a knack of hitting the bottom operating and securing outcomes earlier than the love affair sours.
MORE COVERAGE
How ‘scorned’ Eddie can expose England’s ‘big mistake’ and banish demons of tearful Wallabies exit
The second ‘writing was on the wall’ for Rennie as particulars of Wallabies bombshell revealed
Wallabies boss shuts down exit declare, guidelines out Jones signing after ‘not an assistant, mate’ jab
Nevertheless there was a sense that the 62-year-old’s time might have handed, his techniques outmoded and outshone by the youthful technology of France’s Fabien Galthie and Ireland’s Andy Farrell.
Several are nonetheless believers in Jones’s magic however for some like Clive Woodward — the coach who bought the higher of him on the 2003 World Cup — the England job uncovered his weaknesses.
“He will be remembered for the misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises,” Woodward wrote in a Daily Mail column after his sacking.
YOUNGBLOODS OFFER HOPE… BUT HOW WILL JONES USE THEM?
Rennie must be credited with bringing by way of younger expertise, notably the livewire 22-year-old wing Mark Nawaqanitawase, who was one of many few positives of Australia’s northern hemisphere tour in November.
He and Jordan Petaia, additionally 22 however with extra Test expertise, have proven the aptitude required to trigger issues for any opponent.
Jones is just not averse to bringing in contemporary faces as he did with England fly-half Marcus Smith and Maro Itoje however he was fast to dispense with many others.
Jones has a extra abrasive and no-nonsense fashion than Rennie and whether or not that proves a spark or inhibits the pure exuberance of the children might be pivotal to the Wallabies’ progress.
Similarly in Jones’s thoughts the younger stars additionally need to assume sure tasks as he highlighted when mentioning the potential pitfalls to Smith.
“The big thing for young players is distractions,” Jones mentioned in November 2021. “Distractions can be the exposure they get in the media, the praise and criticism they get, groups of agents who see this guy as the next big thing.
“No-one starts with their feet off the ground or they don’t get in the team. But there’s this flood of distractions that comes in that makes you ungrounded.”
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM CHEIKA APPROACH
Australia’s win and loss column from final 12 months might make grim studying however they had been only one attempt away from beating each Six Nations Grand Slam titleholders France and the world-ranked primary crew Ireland in November.
Add to that the character they confirmed to return again and beat Wales 39-34 after trailing 34-13 and there seems to be a stable base for Jones to construct on.
The instance set by Michael Cheika — a larger-than-life, straight-talking character like Jones — in 2015 may show a helpful one.
Cheika had a disappointing first marketing campaign in cost within the northern hemisphere in 2014 however went away and moulded a crew of veterans like Matt Giteau with youthful skills together with Bernard Foley and Michael Hooper.
The end result was that the Australians shocked many in reaching the World Cup remaining and gave New Zealand a run for his or her cash.
Jones has Foley, Hooper and one other member of the Cheika facet, James Slipper, out there as veterans.
Their expertise of the 2015 run allied to the uncooked younger expertise may effectively see a repeat if Jones develops the latter and avoids clashing with the senior gamers.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
