Rugby World Cup 2023: Will Eddie Jones gamble on young blood in the halves?

Throughout Rugby World Cup history, there’s a trend in the eventual winner’s line-up that Eddie Jones can’t ignore if the Wallabies are any chance in France.

Wallabies player Stephen Larkham (R) kicks ball despite efforts of Springboks Cobus Visagie during Australia v South Africa World Cup semi-final at Twickenham in London, 30/10/99. Rugby Union A/CT

If the Wallabies are serious about wanting to win this year’s Rugby World Cup, Eddie Jones will already know he may have to rethink his plans about who he chooses as his starting playmakers.

A master tactician who gives little away, he’s just dropped a big hint that he might be hatching a plan that will pay off later on.

There’s an old adage in rugby that matches are won by forwards, with conventional thinking dictating that experience outweighs the benefits of youth.

That may still hold true, but when it comes to World Cups, history shows that the biggest games are won by the teams that gamble on young blood — particularly in the halves.

George Gregan won a World Cup with Australia in 1999 at the age of 26.

Barring two rare exceptions, every team that has won the World Cup has had a halfback and five-eighth both aged in their 20s.

The only times that hasn’t happened was when Matt Dawson, aged 31, started at halfback for England in the 2003 World Cup final, and in the 2015 final when New Zealand five-eighth Dan Carter made his last appearance for the All Blacks at age 33.

But no team has ever won the Webb Ellis with two halves in their 30s, which is an ominous warning for Jones and the Wallabies, who appear to be banking on older heads over fresh legs.

For the second match in a row, Jones has picked one of the oldest halves pairing in Test history — 33 year old Nic White is teaming up with 35 year old Quade Cooper.

There’s no question both men are calm players with years of big-match experience under their belts, with Cooper making his Test debut in 2008 and White in 2013.

But with the World Cup only eight weeks away, there are calls for Jones to look for a younger combination before it’s too late — and Jones may be listening

If Jones does make a chance to his halves Tate McDermott, 24, and Carter Gordon, 22, are the most likely candidates to come in.

Both impressed after coming off the bench in last weekend’s horrendous loss to South Africa and have again been named as reserves for Saturday‘s clash against Argentina.

Could the Wallabies take a chance on Tate McDermott? Picture: Getty Images

So far, Jones has resisted the temptation to start them but has made no secret that he has a big opinion of them, especially Gordon, who made a huge impression with a try on debut when he came on late against the South Africans.

Too savvy to five anything way until he has to, Jones has hinted that this could be the ace he’s keeping up his sleeve for the World Cup, so watch this space.

“What I don‘t want to do is throw him in. I want him to be ready to go,” Jones said.

“He’s a great young player, but he’s a young kid at the moment. He’s finding his feet.

“Would Quade have played like that in the last 10 minutes when there was plenty of space and there was a bit of quick ball?

“So you’ve got to be careful of that. It‘s like a batsman coming in the second innings and there’s no result on and he gets a quick 50 and they say, ’Oh sh*t, he should be playing next Test’.

“Quade is coming back from a serious achilles injury so we want to give him some time. And Carter’s coming through beautifully.

“I couldn’t be happier with him. He’s one out, one back, we’re just holding him back at the moment and we’ll let him go when we get over the rise but we’re not at the rise yet.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2023: Will Eddie Jones gamble on young blood in the halves?