Australia rugby legend David Campese has voiced his frustrations with Wallabies Head Coach Eddie Jones. Campese deemed that it would be ‘unacceptable’, if Australia fail to progress out of the Rugby World Cup pool stages.
The Wallabies have a must-win match this Sunday night, as they take on Pool C leaders Wales in Lyon. Warren Gatland’s men are two wins from two, with victories over Fiji and Portugal building their hopeful progressions into the quarter-finals. Australia recorded a win over Georgia, yet were beaten 22-15 by Fiji last weekend in Saint-Etinne.
This loss to the Pacific Islanders has put the Wallabies’ progression hopes in jeopardy, with all eyes turning to Eddie Jones after only recording one win in seven matches in his second stint with Australia. Jones’ poor run began with a winless 2023 Rugby Championship campaign, before his Summer was wrapped up with a heavy defeat to France.
Tempers are wearing thin amongst the Wallabies legends, with none other than the great entertainer David Campese being the latest to voice his grievances. Speaking with Vegas Insider about Australia’s latest performances, Campese said;
“He (Eddie Jones) is not helping the situation at all. He doesn’t like criticism. The problem is seven months out from the World Cup there was a lot of talk. I said what does Eddie really want? I was just frustrated. The problem in rugby is that everyone knows who Eddie is but no one knows who the players are. The game is about the players.
“We haven’t got our own identity as a team. There’s a lot of rugby league influence on our game. Too much. The team doesn’t have any creative players. They just kick the ball in the air and hope. They waste it. They work so hard for the ball then just give it away.
“I know him (Jones). I played with him. I had a go at him before the tournament which was probably the wrong thing to do. I think he thought the skill factor would be a lot better expecting everyone to be able to run like the Ella brothers. A month later he says running rugby is dead in Australia and you have to kick the ball away.
“I was watching the game on Sunday and sometimes it looked like we were going through the motions. I am not saying they do not have pride. There was no urgency. They gave silly penalties away.”
Jones’ selection choices have been heavily criticised. Australian stalwart’s Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper were left out of the squad due to injury, yet Jones has kept injured players Pone Fa’amausili and Max Jorgensen in the squad. 22-year-old Melbourne Rebel Carter Gordon is the only fly-half in the inexperienced squad, with Jones finding no place for James O’Connor or Noah Lolesio.
“You have a player in Michael Hooper who has won 137 caps and he is left at home. Fiji were phenomenal at the breakdown. If we’d had Hooper then who knows what might have happened.” Campese said.
Jones has also played hot potato with the captain’s armband, having named six separate captains for his seven matches in charge of Australia. If Jones and Rugby Australia were to part ways, Campese would like to see Argentina Head Coach Michael Cheika back involved with the Wallabies in some capacity.
Cheika has formally taken the position as Australia Head Coach from 2014 to 2019, and took Los Pumas to new heights with their first ever win over New Zealand. Campese understands that Jones looks set to stay, despite the rumours of a return to Japan for the 63-year-old.
“Rugby Australia are saying Eddie is staying win, lose or draw and that Eddie is a long-term plan. I am not sure. What do I think? I’m not sure, to be honest!
“I have long felt after 2019 that Michael Cheika who is now coaching Argentina should be employed by Rugby Australia to produce a high-performance coaching programme bringing on the best young coaching talent in Australia and developing and mentoring them. We lose too many overseas.”
“Who knows? That’s the rumour. It will be interesting to see if they get knocked out, whether he (Jones) walks or is pushed. I’m not sure either way, he could stay on.
“He went in with a young squad and they didn’t respond as he would have liked. He is now going back to the drawing board and having a tactical rethink. That’s because they’ve lost Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou to injury. Without their power, they have to have a new gameplan.”
For now, Campese is focussing his attention in Australia’s on-field decisions and not those that may soon be taking place in the boardrooms. The ex-Wallabies winger-come-fullback would not be impressed, if he saw the side which he won the 1991 Rugby World Cup with eliminated at the first hurdle.
“It would be unacceptable not to get to the quarter-finals. Australia should play rugby the way we know how to. If you haven’t got the skills or the determination and don’t understand your rugby culture or your history it won’t be successful.
“World Cups are supposed to be the ultimate in a player’s career. The young guys I don’t think understand the importance of the opportunity and playing for your country and the expectations on them.”
“It’s make or break. The players have to take responsibility on the field. They have a job to do and they need to do it. Don’t give penalties away, don’t do stupid things.
“Wales have got three world-class kickers in their team. They are going to try to go for every kick. It’s interesting at this World Cup most Test matches everyone would look to kick to the corners and get the seven points. Now they go for the three. It is just scoreboard pressure. We aren’t used to that and we haven’t got a reliable goal kicker.
“We are in the same position as Fiji were last week. They have to win. We have to just be smarter and don’t give the football away. I think we will find a way.”
Despite coming into the match in poor form and with the odds stacked against them, Campese can see Australia securing the win in Lyon. He believes the match will be a tense battle, with the Wallabies prevailing by narrow margins come the final whistle.
“The Wallabies will win by at least five points. They are in the same position as Fiji were last week; desperate backs to the wall do or die. Win or go home. They have just got to stay calm and look after the ball.
“The Wales team is a good team but not a great team. Australia will win. And the injury to Max Jorgensen means Eddie could well bring in a reliable goalkicker from Australia A who are over in Europe. They are going to need a world-class goalkicker. And Bernard Foley, James O’Connor and Noah Lolesio are over there so don’t be surprised if one of them is called up.”