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The in-camp Wallabies reaction to Eddie Jones' latest high profile axing

Australia's head coach Eddie Jones (L) looks on during training session in Sydney on July 14, 2023, ahead of their Rugby Championship match against Argentina. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Andrew Kellaway believes the cut-throat battle for Rugby World Cup spots hasn’t changed the mindset of the Wallabies players as they hunt their first win of the year in Melbourne’s Bledisloe Cup match.

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A hamstring injury meant Kellaway missed Australia’s first two Tests under new coach Eddie Jones but he’s in line to start at fullback against the unbeaten All Blacks on Saturday at the MCG.

The Wallabies look set to be without injured co-captain Michael Hooper after the veteran flanker failed to train with team on Monday in Melbourne.

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The moves come amid speculation Jones had considered naming his squad for the World Cup in France early to alleviate anxiety within the playing group.

Tom Wright started in the No.15 jersey against South Africa and Argentina but was then was ruthlessly axed from the squad altogether, while Reece Hodge and Pete Samu were also selection casualties.

Conceding some of his teammates might handle the selection squeeze differently, Kellaway didn’t feel the pressure on players had changed.

“I don’t think anxiety is right word, I think it’s expectation,” Kellaway said.

“We’ve always known that – you don’t perform you’re out, right? So seeing a guy of Wrighty’s class leave the group is only sort of reaffirmation of that fact.

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“We’re blessed with depth in the outside backs here and if you don’t take your opportunity you leave yourself up for those things you can’t control.

“But I don’t think there’s anything new there, that’s something that’s always there.”

Australia haven’t won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002, in Jones’ first stint as coach.

In Melbourne last year they came desperately close to victory in the first fixture before a controversial 39-37 loss after a late All Blacks try.

Kellaway crossed twice in that Marvel Stadium match and said the performance gave the team belief, despite the chorus of naysayers after their recent losses.

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“Tweak a little bit of the management of the referee there at the end of Melbourne last year and it’s a different story,” Kellaway said.

“If we reflect on that, I think the biggest lesson and probably the most important is that if we play the way we want to play we give ourselves every chance.”

While Hooper looks set to miss his second game due to a calf injury, burly prop Taniela Tupou has declared he’s ready for his first Test since rupturing his achilles tendon last November.

The 27-year-old recovered well after playing 40 minutes for Australia A against his birth country Tonga but was ill over the weekend.

Tupou was in the thick of action at training on Monday and said he hoped to play.

“The last few days was hard but I trained today and did everything and my body feels good and I feel ready to go,” Tupou said.

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Comments

2 Comments
A
Al 481 days ago

He may be looking for a new job. i do feel sorry for him after last nights 7-38 earthquake from the All blacks but you don't come out firing insults and statements you cant make happen

J
Janet 482 days ago

Good luck to the Wallabies your gonna need it. But Eddie Jones is my favourite so it’s your turn to beat the ABS again Eddie make it 6 or will it be 7 wins,I’m sorry I got your winning streak against the ABS wrong in another post. Sorry Eddie but this one is ours. 🙏🏻🙏🏻💖💖

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JW 1 hour ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

This piece is nothing more than the result of revisionist fancy of Northern Hemisphere rugby fans. Seeing what they want to see, helped but some surprisingly good results and a desire to get excited about doing something well.


I went back through the 6N highlights and sure enough in every English win I remembered seeing these exact holes on the inside, that are supposedly the fallout out of a Felix Jones system breaking down in the hands of some replacement. Every time the commentators mentioned England being targeted up the seam/around the ruck or whatever. Each game had a try scored on the inside of the blitz, no doubt it was a theme throughout all of their games. Will Jordan specifically says that Holland had design that move to target space he saw during their home series win.


Well I'm here to tell you they were the same holes in a Felix Jones system being built as well. This woe is now sentiment has got to stop. The game is on a high, these games have been fantastic! It is Englands attack that has seen their stocks increase this year, and no doubt that is what SB told him was the teams priority. Or it's simply science, with Englands elite players having worked towards a new player welfare and management system, as part of new partnership with the ERU, that's dictating what the players can and can't put their bodies through.


The only bit of truth in this article is that Felix is not there to work on fixing his defence. England threw away another good chance of winning in the weekend when they froze all enterprise under pressure when no longer playing attacking footy for the second half. That mindset helped (or not helped if you like) of course by all this knee jerk, red brained criticism.

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