A defiant Eddie Jones maintains Australia can win this yr’s Rugby World Cup regardless of dealing with the very actual prospect of arriving in France and not using a victory in 2023.
A final-gasp attempt to Juan Martin Gonzalez consigned the Wallabies to a dispiriting 34-31 defeat to Argentina on Saturday night time, marking the primary time in historical past Australia have misplaced successive Take a look at matches to the Pumas.
The heartbreaker was additionally Australia’s fifth consecutive Rugby Championship defeat and adopted up final week’s 43-12 mauling by the understrength Springboks in South Africa.
Compounding the loss was an early damage to centre Len Ikitau, with scans revealing a fractured scapula which implies as much as eight weeks on the sidelines.
“Unwell-discipline actually harm us tonight once more – a yellow card and a few penalties put us on the improper finish of the sphere and also you simply can’t win Take a look at matches enjoying that type of rugby,” mentioned dejected Wallabies co-captain James Slipper.
“There’s fairly just a few of us who’ve to take a look at these penalties and rectify them fairly shortly as a result of performances like that, we gained’t go far on the World Cup.”
Jones, although, stays “100 per cent assured” the now-eighth-ranked Wallabies can carry the Webb Ellis Cup again to Australia in October.
“In the mean time, it looks like we’re miles away from we should be. However all that is going to make us tougher and extra hungry to get it proper,” he mentioned.
“We’re a group that should change. We all know that. And that’s the rationale I’m right here within the job.”
After organising Australia’s first attempt with a fast faucet and sharp footwork, instinctive winger Mark Nawaqanitawase appeared to have saved the Wallabies‘ blushes with a 95-metre intercept attempt with 5 minutes remaining at Commbank Stadium.
“Incredible,” Jones mentioned of Nawaqanitawase’s dazzling show.
“Each time he received the ball, he lit the stadium up. Children are leaping off the sting of the seat. He’s that type of participant. Incredible.”
Final-minute heartbreaker
Alas, three minutes later, the Pumas snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
However Jones is urging followers to not lose hope 55 days out from the World Cup kick-off.
“There’s in all probability no-one extra despondent than me. I in all probability ruined three radios within the coach’s field,” he mentioned, whereas additionally confessing to “definitely sleeping much less” since taking up from the sacked Dave Rennie in January and being hailed as Australian rugby’s saviour.
Jones says there’s no magic mud he can sprinkle to immediately revive the Wallabies‘ fortunes.
“It was at all times going to be tough in the event you’re coming off a base the place you’ve been persistently unsuccessful for a time frame, which the outcomes present that,” he mentioned.
“We’re attempting to alter the group and likewise attempting to alter the best way we play. So we’ve type of double-whammied this, and I’m fairly joyful to just accept that we’re not the place we ought to be.
“However I’m additionally fairly joyful to inform you that I believe we’re heading in the right direction and we’ll get there.
“It could have been simple if I got here in, take the group, pared every part again and performed a extremely easy recreation.
“However that’s not going to win us a World Cup.
“We want to have the ability to play a variety of alternative ways and we want an assault that’s unpredictable to the opposition, which in the meanwhile is unpredictable to us too.”
-AAP
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