Some will say they’re clutching at straws but the Wallabies have found a silver lining to their 43-12 Rugby Championship mauling at the hands of Springboks.
Key points:
Australia lost 43-12 in Pretoria against South Africa, who are the current World Cup holdersWhite said this Wallabies squad had only trained together for five sessions prior to the matchAustralia’s first game in the 2023 World Cup is on September 10 against Georgia
“It kind of shows how far off the mark we are,” halfback Nic White said of the pounding in Pretoria that has sent coach Eddie Jones back to the drawing board.
“It’s still a bitter pill to swallow … we’re not where we want to be — a long way off actually.
“There was no sugar-coating, we were straight into it after the game in areas that we weren’t up to scratch. We need to find answers.
“Things didn’t go to plan. A bit of a baptism of fire out there. They’re a bloody good side, showed why they’re world champs and current World Cup holders.”
The honeymoon is well and truly over for Jones, the coach with the Midas touch who many billed as the saviour when Rugby Australia parachuted the 63-year-old in to replace the sacked Dave Rennie in January.
From failing to find touch from penalties to kicking out on the full in general play, turning over cheap possession and having two players yellow carded, White conceded the entire Wallabies performance was a horror show.
“But there were some positives out there,” White said.
“I know it’s hard to hear that right now but we’ve been together as a squad of 35 for, like, five sessions before that.
“There were some things that we were well short of and we know that now.
“I’m not making excuses, but we’re still finding a bit of clarity in the way we want to play.
“We were going up against the world champs there, a team that’s been together under the same staff, the same group of players, for like eight years.
“They have real clarity in the way they want to play the game and it’s bloody hard to stop.”
Jones has four more Tests to settle on his squad for the World Cup, and fans will learn on Thursday if he makes wholesale changes for Saturday’s clash with the Michael Cheika-coached Argentina in Sydney.
Winger Suliasi Vunivalu is in the firing line after a particularly poor starting debut in Pretoria.
Mark Nawaqanitawase would be an obvious replacement after enjoying an outstanding spring tour of Europe last November, while Andrew Kellaway is expected to be available for selection after recovering from injury.
Young gun Carter Gordon sparked the Wallabies after replacing playmaker Quade Cooper, who started strongly before being starved of ball against the rampant Springboks.
Jones is also sure to consider starting the lively Tate McDermott instead of White.
One player certain not to tackle the Pumas is Taniela Tupou, with Jones sending the powerhouse prop back to the Australia A team to play Tonga in Nuku’alofa on Friday night.
Tupou desperately needs game time after rupturing an achilles tendon on the spring tour.
AAP
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