Rugby World Cup: Eddie Jones must bring back Quade Cooper ahead of Wallabie vs Wales clash, Alan Jones

Eddie Jones’s “backing the kids” spin has been as successful as the Rugby World Cup draw. However, unlike the schedule, Eddie has the chance amend his broken selection policy, writes ALAN JONES.

A week is a long time in a World Cup, and much has happened in the last week.

In terms of the real contenders in this tournament, I am still a fan of France, despite the fact that they were below their best against Uruguay.

As France rotated their squad, Ireland did the opposite and loaded up against Tonga.

Ireland are the real deal.

I have no doubt that they can win the whole show, but we will know a lot more about the men in green when they take on South Africa this weekend.

South Africa’s stand-in No.10, Manie Libbok, is struggling off the kicking tee.

The clash between Ireland and South Africa will be more than interesting.

Can Ireland’s high ball movement attack fracture the Springbok’s blitz defence.

Can you believe this World Cup draw?

If Ireland beat the Springboks this weekend, they will probably play the All Blacks in a quarter-final and the Boks will face the French.

This is absurd.

This draw for the World Cup is another International Rugby Board failure. Among many.

And so, the Wallabies and their challenge against Wales.

The Rugby World Cup schedule has been a massive failure, as Australia heads into a must-win clash against Wales. Picture: Getty Images

It is worth having a quick look to remind ourselves of the Wallabies’ preparation for this World Cup.

Since becoming Wallabies coach, Eddie Jones has had a lot to say. He took a team to South Africa, earlier this year, and talked about making history by beating the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The Wallabies were hammered 43-12 and players were thrown under the bus.

Then Jones chirped up saying his Wallabies team would win the Bledisloe Cup and the Kiwi economy would kneel down. Again, it was all hot air and his Wallabies were cleaned up 38-7.

The same routine for the Wallabies when they played Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

Yet again, more empty words and more humiliation for Wallabies fans — Australia beaten at home, 34-31.

Coming into this World Cup, the rhetoric continued and then France smashed the Wallabies 41-17 in a World Cup warm-up match.

Interestingly, over the course of the World Cup build-up, the “smash and grab’ theme evolved into an “I’m backing the kids” routine. It feels like spin and I am not buying it.

I have said before, this is not the youngest side to represent Australia in a major contest.

Where ability is present, age does not matter. I am all for supporting emerging players but supporting them doesn’t mean throwing them out on a tight rope without a safety net.

All Test match teams should have balance — experience and youth.

Eddie Jones has had a lot to say since taking over as Wallabies coach, but delivered very little. Picture: Getty Images

I ask a simple question. Do we have our best team on the paddock? Do we have some of our best players left at home and some players, over there, who haven’t been chosen?

Where is Andrew Kellaway?

If Eddie Jones ignores the opportunity to bring in an experienced No.10, the Wallabies may soon be named “Les Miserables”.

At World Cups, teams can replace players if they are seriously injured.

The Springboks are replacing their injured hooker, Malcolm Marx, with the World Cup winning No.10 — magic goalkicker, Handre Pollard.

With injuries in the Wallabies squad, now is the time to call up an experienced No.10.

I would pick Quade Cooper, a big game player and a winner.

If Quade won’t answer the phone call, you can also look at James O’Connor or Bernard Foley, experienced ball players who can manage the World Cup Test match on the paddock.

A lot has already been written about the famous Fijian victory over the Wallabies early on Monday morning.

We all know it’s the Flying Fijians’ first win over Australia in 69 years.

Way back then, Fijian players were sought after by Australian rugby league clubs and players like the flying winger, Orisi Dewai, who made his debut in the 1954 second Test, stayed in Sydney and played for the mighty St George.

Jones must swallow his pride, send an SOS to Quade Cooper and hope he picks up the phone. Picture: Getty Images

So what happened in this World Cup upset by Simon Raiwalui’s Fijians?

First, it should be noted that the Wallabies were outmuscled at scrum time and in the maul. That comes down to the Wallaby tight five.

The Wallabies have two forward coaches, Dan Palmer and Neil Hatley. Gentleman, you need to do your job and get the pack up to scratch in the set piece. Does Eddie Jones do any coaching? Wales will be coming for the Wallabies in the set pieces and we need our tight five to get their act together.

Next, our back row needs a kick in the backside.

The Fijians controlled the ruck and completely dominated our loose forwards; we gave up eight penalties, in possession, in the ruck.

I don’t know if all the rugby league coaches in the Wallabies camp understand the breakdown, but somebody must sort this out.

Michael Hooper must be livid at seeing his mates completely dusted up in the tackles area.

Michael Hooper would have been livid after watching the Wallabies’ poor defensive efforts. Picture: Getty Images.

In the backline, the Fijians, coached by Darryl Gibson, were brilliant.

First, they got the selection right. They picked the battering ram, Josua Tuisova at inside centre to negate Samu Kerevi in defence; and in attack, to run at the Wallabies No.10 Carter Gordon. He did both brilliantly and won the man of the match award.

Picking Tuisova in the midfield meant Semi Radradra moved to the left wing and from scrum ball, the Fijians went wide, giving their strike players early ball. The Wallabies centres were no match for free-running Fijian outside backs.

To cap off a brilliant World Cup performance by Fiji, their metronomic goalkicking halfback, Simione Kuruvoli, kicked magnificently.

It was like watching Tiger Woods hitting an iron shot on a par 3. I suspect if a try had been scored outside the ground, he still would have converted.

So, much to do for the Wallabies as they prepare to take on Warren Gatland’s Welsh team.

Gatland has had success on the international stage with Wales and the British and Irish Lions.

He is always building his teams around work rate and big defence.

His team will rarely kick the ball out; instead the Welshman will back themselves to outwork you by keeping the ball in play for long periods.

Fiji produced a brilliant World Cup performance to topple Australia. Picture: AFP

When Wales played Fiji in the first pool match, they made 250 tackles and they loved it.

Make no mistake, Wales will kick the ball away and back their defence.

They also have the power to strike in counter-attack with blistering speed on the edges and a super experienced No.10 in Dan Biggar, pulling the strings.

Biggar has played over 100 Tests and he is an 85 per cent goalkicker.

Wales must go to this crunch match as favourites.

It appears that Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou will not be available because of training injuries. Can you believe we’re losing players due to training injuries at a World Cup?

That is a coaching failure.

What the bloody hell is going on that Tupou pings a hammy and Skelton a calf? These are soft tissues training injuries.

Whoever is responsible for writing the training plans needs to be relieved of his duties.

Thankfully, the Wallabies will have the best referee in World Rugby, in charge of the Wales Test.

Wayne Barnes is the most capped referee of all time. He was set to referee the World Cup final in 2019, but with England playing, he was forced to sit it out.

Barnes was trained to be a barrister, but his love of the game saw him throw his life into refereeing.

He loves an open game and he will do what he can to make it enjoyable for the fans. Unlike most of his referee colleagues, Barnes does not think the game is a platform for self-promotion.

He has become a very good set-piece referee so the Wallabies will need to be squeaky clean at scrum and maul time; but if you try to kill the ball inside your own 22, he will yellow card you without a warning.

The Wallabies face a massive task against Wales, under the leadership of experienced No.10 Dan Biggar. Picture: Getty Images

Can the Wallabies turn this around? It depends on what they are focusing on this week.

Selection is critical. Use of the football is critical.

Is the halfback going to be allowed to kick the ball endlessly? The ball is the bank. Why are we giving it away?

There needs to be some honesty about the shortcomings of the coaches and the players.

Selections have been poor and Jones must take responsibility for that. He has surrounded himself with rugby league coaches who don’t know our game and “yes” men rugby union coaches.

In effect, none of the Wallabies assistant coaches have the ticker to challenge Jones.

Jones has designed it that way. It doesn’t please me to say it, but I predicted the Carter Gordon debacle against Fiji after watching him play against Georgia. Carter is a great talent but he is not ready yet.

We look best out wide when we take some chances. Against Wales, we have simple choices.

We have to back ourselves with the ball in hand and give the outside backs some freedom to have a crack.

Up front, the tight five need to muscle up; as do the loose forwards at the breakdown.

This is not tiddlywinks. Australian fans expect you to get knocked around a bit.

Wales are tough but they have some big weaknesses. Their lineout throwing is poor; we should exploit that. They like to blitz in defence so there will be space in behind them.

None of this is rocket science.

It takes a ruthless commitment, borne of decent coaching. I am not a fan of Eddie Jones or Hamish McLennan. These two blokes, to date, have a lot to answer for.

This World Cup campaign has cost Australian Rugby a fortune. Are we getting value for money?

Timothy, online, got it right, “Surely this will trigger some introspection by administrators in Rugby Australia … … nope”.

I am an unyielding fan of the Wallabies jersey and the brave and gifted men who have worn it. We have good players in France.

Do we have good coaches? I guess time will tell.

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Eddie Jones must bring back Quade Cooper ahead of Wallabie vs Wales clash, Alan Jones