Wallabies v All Blacks: Eddie Jones picks better-balanced team for Bledisloe Cup clash
Eddie Jones has overhauled the Wallabies and a new game plan looms for the second Bledisloe Cup Test. JAMIE PANDARAM analyses what Australia can get out of the return clash with the All Blacks
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Left out of Eddie Jones’ first Wallabies squad of the year in March, Tate McDermott will now become Australia’s 86th Test captain when he leads the team against the All Blacks on Saturday.
It shows how quickly things can change.
Halfback McDermott was a shock omission from Jones’ first training camp, but now takes charge with prop James Slipper on the bench, his regular co-captain Michael Hooper in Sydney doing rehabilitation, and stand-in skipper Allan Alaalatoa suffering a season-ending Achilles injury last weekend.
Overall, Jones has picked a far better balanced team than last week, when Tom Hooper was openside flanker.
Jed Holloway has been dropped from the squad, with Hooper moving to blindside flanker and Fraser McReight returning to the team to start at No.7.
That gives the Wallabies even more potency at the breakdown, an area they dominated in the early stages of last week’s loss.
And if five-eighth Carter Gordon, who has been retained in an unchanged backline, can limit his kicking the Wallabies will stand a far better chance of success.
Gordon’s kicking game was off last week in Melbourne. It also allowed New Zealand to counter-attack effectively.
Under a roof in Dunedin, the less ball you kick back to the All Blacks, the better your chances to limit their scoring. Particularly against a completely revamped Kiwi team.
With McDermott starting, Jones is promoting Australia’s running game. If not, he’d have started Nic White, who is more adept at the territory-based kicking game from the base of the ruck.
McDermott’s elevation as skipper comes as Jones made three changes to the starting XV that lost to the All Blacks last week in Melbourne.
Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou – Alaalatoa’s back-up — was ruled out with a rib injury, so Pone Fa’amausili starts in the No.3 jersey, with Zane Nonggor to support him off the bench.
And Will Skelton has dropped to the bench, with Jones preferring Richie Arnold to start in this Test in Dunedin.
Skelton was a force at the breakdown and in the mauls, but Jones also needs to see what the other second rowers can do as he plots for the World Cup.
Their main pool rivals, Wales, have named a host of rookies to face England this weekend. Welsh coach Warren Gatland, a long-time sparring partner of Jones, is in a similar boat.
He’s come back in to fix a rabble.
He’s likely got an idea of what his best team is, but needs to know a little more about some of his rookies under pressure.
The two teams are on similar trajectories but Australia, on paper, has by far the more dynamic players.
That needs to show up in Dunedin, as much for the players’ own confidence as to show that Jones is improving the team more than previous coach Dave Rennie could have.
From outsiders to top dogs, the Wallabies need to emulate McDermott’s unlikely journey.
Wallabies team to play New Zealand at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin on Saturday, August 5, 12.35pm AEST
1. Angus Bell (22 Tests)
2. David Porecki (13 Tests)
3. Pone Fa’amausili (4 Tests)
4. Nick Frost (11 Tests)
5. Richie Arnold (3 Tests)
6. Tom Hooper (2 Tests)
7. Fraser McReight (11 Tests)
8. Rob Valetini (33 Tests)
9. Tate McDermott (c) (24 Tests)
10. Carter Gordon (3 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (54 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (44 Tests)
13. Jordan Petaia (26 Tests)
14. Mark Nawaqanitawase (5 Tests)
15. Andrew Kellaway (22 Tests)
Reserves:
16. Jordan Uelese (18 Tests)
17. James Slipper (130 Tests)
18. Zane Nonggorr (1 Test)
19. Will Skelton (27 Tests)
20. Rob Leota (15 Tests)
21. Nic White (62 Tests)
22. Quade Cooper (79 Tests)
23. Izaia Perese (4 Tests)
All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets) * debutant
1. Tamaiti Williams (1)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (23)
3. Nepo Laulala (48)
4. Brodie Retallick (102)
5. Samuel Whitelock (144)
6. Samipeni Finau *
7. Sam Cane (88 – captain)
8. Ardie Savea (73)
9. Finlay Christie (16)
10. Damian McKenzie (41)
11. Leicester Fainga’anuku (2)
12. Anton Lienert-Brown (61)
13. Braydon Ennor (8)
14. Shaun Stevenson *
15. Will Jordan (23)
Reserves:
16. Dane Coles (85)
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (52)
18. Fletcher Newell (6)
19. Tupou Vaa’i (20)
20. Luke Jacobson (13)
21. Aaron Smith (117)
22. Richie Mo’unga (47)
23. Dallas McLeod *
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