Eddie Jones insists Wallabies 'will win the World Cup' after narrow defeat to All Blacks

A bullish Australia coach says he'd bet on the outcome if he was allowed.

YOU BET: Australia’s Head Coach Eddie Jones speaks to the media after the game. Picture: INPHO/Photosport/Derek Morrison

Eddie Jones says he's still '100% certain' Australia can win the upcoming Rugby World Cup, despite seeing his side suffer a fourth straight defeat on Saturday morning.

The Wallabies led the All Blacks 17-3 at half-time in Dunedin but fell to a 23-20 defeat in the final moments.

Asked afterwards if he felt his eighth-ranked side could be reclaim the Webb Ellis Trophy in France later this year, a typically bullish Jones insisted: “one hundred percent, in fact I think we will, mate”.

“If I could bet on it I would, but I think you get in trouble if you bet,” he added.

The signs of Australia’s recovery had been there last week in Melbourne but the visitors failed to keep up the tempo for the entire game and the defeat leaves Jones’s side at 0-3 this season.

“I thought New Zealand's first 30 in the second half was equally as good, and you know, there’s one upright in the game [a missed penalty by Carter Gordon]," he said.0

“Congratulations to New Zealand, but I think we're going in the right direction. I thought for a young guy, Tate [McDermott] captained side for the first time, he did an incredible job. So, there's a lot for us to be positive about.”

All Blacks captain Sam Cane conceded his side had been pushed to the limit.

“That was a proper Test match," he said, "they were firing all the shots in the first half, to be fair, we were just hanging in there. They took it to us in a big way.” 

“I’m really proud of the composure and the way we fought our way back.

“We showed composure and the ability to grind our way back into the game when we were under a fair bit of pressure.”