Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was unfazed by the hostile reception he copped throughout Australia’s World Cup opener towards Georgia in Paris, asserting he “can deal” with being unpopular.
The Australians began their World Cup marketing campaign with a 35-15 bonus level victory over Eleventh-ranked Georgia on Sunday morning AEST, with fullback Ben Donaldson registering 25 factors and receiving participant of the match honours. Jones gambled on youth forward of the event, and his daring resolution at hand Donaldson the No. 15 jersey paid dividends.
“When you’ve got a young team, haven’t been doing well and getting criticised, you can go into your shell a little bit,” Jones mentioned.
“But I thought they came out in the first half and put a conclusive performance together.”
Jones, who beforehand mentored England and Japan, was jeered by a big portion of the 75,000 spectators at Stade de France at any time when he was proven on the venue’s massive display. The 63-year-old has turn into a divisive character inside the rugby neighborhood, and he’s solely snug with the fame he’s constructed.
“Obviously I’m not popular, at least it’s consistent,” Jones advised reporters within the post-match press convention.
“You either want to be popular or unpopular. I’m consistently unpopular, I can deal with that.”
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Jones began his second stint as Wallabies coach with 5 consecutive defeats, with Australia slipping to ninth on the world rankings. However, Jones brushed apart the notion his squad was missing confidence forward of the quadrennial event.
“I might enjoy a glass of red wine tomorrow,” Jones mentioned.
“You don’t start like that if you’re lacking in confidence.
“World Cups are about taking each step. If we were to plan a perfect World Cup preparation, we said at the end of the round one we want to sit there on five points, and that’s what we’ve got.”
The Wallabies will subsequent face Fiji in Saint-Etienne on September 18 (AEST), however vice-captain Tate McDermott gained’t characteristic within the group stage contest after struggling a grade one concussion on Sunday.
The 24-year-old halfback left the sector after copping a knee to the top whereas making an attempt to sort out Georgia’s Beka Gorgadze late within the first half. The Queenslander will subsequently be stood down for 12 days and miss the upcoming conflict with Fiji, presumably changed by fellow halfback Nic White.
“Tate’s up walking around,” Jones mentioned.
“He’ll do all the medical protocols.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au