Making no excuses for the Wallabies’ disastrous efficiency towards South Africa, coach Eddie Jones has blasted a neighborhood reporter following their Rugby Championship opener in Pretoria.
The Wallabies have been outclassed in each aspect at Loftus Versfeld and have been fortunate to solely fall to a 43-12 defeat, which was their heaviest towards the Springboks since 2008.
After the match, Jones took umbrage at a South African journalist’s query.
“Eddie, you expressed your disappointment within the week that you just weren’t taking part in the first-choice Springboks aspect. Is {that a} little bit of reduction now?,” the reporter requested, prompting a lashing from the veteran coach.
“South Africans are good at profitable. You don’t need to be a smart-arse mate,” Jones mentioned.
“We have been properly and really crushed at the moment by a Springboks aspect that outdated mate is looking the B-team, proper? I by no means knew there was a Springboks aspect that was known as the B-team.”
Blunt phrases
Jones confronted the journalist after the press convention, demanding extra respect.
“You don’t need to be a smart-arse, mate,” Jones mentioned once more.
“It’s best to have extra respect mate. I by no means mentioned that, mate. I mentioned we at all times need to play the very best. Present some respect.”
The match highlighted the work Jones has forward earlier than this yr’s Rugby World Cup in France, the place South Africa will defend their title.
The house aspect have been with out quite a few their stars, with the Springboks sending a dozen gamers forward to New Zealand to start out preparation for subsequent weekend’s conflict with the All Blacks.
The Wallabies led early with star winger Marika Koroibete scoring however from that time have been out-muscled by the bodily Springboks.
Making greater than double the quantity of tackles, they have been at all times on the again foot with the forwards unable to put any form of platform for five-eighth Quade Cooper to orchestrate the assault.
‘Outplayed all over the place’
They resorted to repeatedly kicking away possession which stored them underneath the pump in defence and a 17-5 half-time scoreline blew out with the Wallabies additionally giving up two penalty tries.
“We have been outplayed all over the place,” Jones mentioned.
“The one constructive was the primary 20 minutes, the place we tried to play with a little bit of tempo, we tried to shift turnover ball and we regarded harmful however we weren’t in a position to maintain that effort.
“We obtained crushed on the set-piece, obtained crushed on the gain-line, obtained crushed within the air.
“When you don’t win any of these contests, it’ll be an extended day on the workplace. ”
The Australians solely have a number of days to show across the loss, internet hosting Argentina on Saturday night time in Sydney.
Argentina looms
The Pumas, coached by ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, fell 41-12 to New Zealand in Mendoza to open their Rugby Championship marketing campaign.
Jones mentioned the Wallabies wanted extra consistency of their set piece and to seek out methods to recover from the achieve line.
“If we repair these points we might be again within the cash towards Argentina,” Jones mentioned.
Debutant Carter Gordon, who changed fve-eighth Cooper after 68 minutes and scored a late strive, seems an opportunity for a begin towards the Pumas.
“I assumed Marika (Koroibete) was excellent and Carter, approaching for his first Check in a troublesome state of affairs, confirmed he has a brilliant future,” Jones mentioned.
-AAP