World Cup: Eddie Jones’ selection gambles come home to haunt rudderless Wallabies

Eddie Jones followed a chaotic selection policy leading up to this World Cup leaving the Wallabies rudderless and unable to seize the big moments, writes JAMIE PANDARAM.

Experienced playmaker Quade Cooper (L) was snubbed by coach Eddie Jones for the World Cup. Picture: AFP

When it came down to the final 20 minutes, with the game on the line, the Wallabies had Ben Donaldson as their five-eighth, and Issak Fines-Leleiwasa as halfback.

They weren’t even in Eddie Jones’ Rugby Championship squad.

This can’t have been the plan.

Wallabies fans had hoped Jones was devising some World Cup masterplan as they watched the side humbled in South Africa, crumble to Argentina, lose twice to New Zealand and get comprehensively outplayed by France in the lead-up to the tournament.

Jones has been a World Cup specialist. That’s why he was brought in by Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan and the board at the start of the year to replace Dave Rennie.

Quade Cooper (L) was turfed just before the World Cup by coach Eddie Jones (R). Picture: AFP

He’s orchestrated shock results and taken teams deep.

The faithful believed he would do it again, despite the alarming results so far this year.

Well, that faith is all but gone.

This Wallabies team look as ill-prepared as any playing in France.

When the game was there to be won, they were rudderless. There is no other way to describe what unfolded in the 22-15 loss to Fiji.

With 10 minutes remaining, Australia had ample time to score twice and win, despite the fact they’d been outplayed all game.

But with five Tests between them, how could Fines-Leleiwasa and Donaldson be expected to pull such a rabbit out of a hat?

This scenario stretches back to Jones’ decision to dump Quade Cooper from the World Cup squad, despite using him throughout the Rugby Championship.

Australia's fly-half Carter Gordon (C) was worked over by Fiji. Picture: AFP

He went all in on Carter Gordon, and it spectacularly backfired when Jones hooked the five-eighth with 30 minutes remaining.

Donaldson, who has been picked in the last two Tests at fullback because he is the only decent goalkicking option in the squad, was suddenly at first receiver. And in the final stages, taking passes from Fines-Leleiwasa, who is talented but hardly experienced enough to expect miracles from on a stage such as this.

A sequence of play unfolded with five minutes remaining where Australian and Fijian backs kicked the ball back and forth to each other 12 times.

Six times Australia kicked the ball away when they needed a converted try.

Fiji got the better of the exchange.

Ben Donaldson of Australia shows his frustration after the defeat by Fiji. Picture: Getty Images

Issak Fines-Leleiwasa was used off the bench by the Wallabies. Picture: Getty Images

Jones ignored the experienced playmaking heads of Cooper, Bernard Foley, James O’Connor, Noah Lolesio and Reece Hodge for his World Cup squad.

He then ignored the measured mind and boot of Andrew Kellaway, who he had used as his fullback in the lead-up.

This created the circumstances in Saint-Etienne where all of the key players who needed to know exactly what to do when down by seven with five minutes to go, didn’t know what to do because they’d never done it at Test level.

All of the chopping, changing and selection gambles came home to roost.

Jones has rightfully acknowledged that he is to blame, saying he believes Australia should be moving towards a younger team.

Younger is one thing, but vastly inexperienced is a different strategy altogether.

The instability created by Rennie’s sacking and Jones’ churning of the team as he seeks a capable 23 now leads to the defining moment, next Monday’s (5am AEST) clash with Wales.

Lose, and Jones’ “hit-and-run” mission will be turned to roadkill, and fingers will be pointing to the coach and beyond.

Originally published as World Cup: Eddie Jones’ selection gambles come home to haunt rudderless Wallabies