Panic, what panic? asks Wallaby coach Jones
By dumping some of their longest serving players for a crop of untried youngsters, the Wallabies showed they were no closer to finalising a team now than at the start of the season.
The selectors were forced to take a gamble after the season was ruined by a crippling injury toll, but the decision to make so many late changes is the first real hint of panic from the reigning world champions.
Three of Australia’s battle-hardened forwards, Owen Finegan, Patricio Noriega and Glenn Panoho, who have 121 caps between them, were replaced by the untried trio of Matt Dunning, John Roe and Alastair Baxter, who have played a combined total of just 42 minutes at test level.
Back Nathan Grey and forward David Lyons were recalled after being dropped midway through the season while Matt Cockbain and David Croft, found themselves in favour.
Only time will tell whether the changes are a masterstroke or an act of lunacy, but coach Eddie Jones says he is confident the policy is right.
“There’s no sense of panic, I think we’ve got a great sense of calmness.”
“Everyone in this squad has been involved with the Wallabies or Australia A this year and although some have not played a test for a while we are fully aware of their capabilities.”
Despite Jones’s confidence, the changes suggest the selectors are still concerned about the forwards after the Wallaby pack was badly exposed by New Zealand and England.
Hooker Brendan Cannon, lock David Giffin and George Smith and Phil Waugh are assured of starting in the big games but the other four positions remain unsettled and the injury of Toutai Kefu was a huge blow.
The backline too still has some question marks, with Stirling Mortlock and Joe Roff rushed back from injury after playing just one match of club rugby and Chris Latham working hard to recover from pneumonia.
Captain George Gregan is assured of the scrumhalf role but the management’s refusal to give any game time to back-up Chris Whitaker could come back to haunt them.
Stephen Larkham will remain at flyhalf as long as he is fit and the centres are far from settled.
Elton Flatley has been playing inside centre and kicking goals most of the season with league international Mat Rogers wearing number 13.
Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuquiri have impressed on the wings but the return of Mortlock and Roff could force the whole backline to be reshuffled again, causing further disruption to a side already struggling.
The Wallaby coach, who has been under fire for the majority of the season because of his side’s lacklustre form, said dropping Finegan was one of the most difficult decisions of his career.
“He’s been an outstanding player for Australia for a number of years, we gave him the opportunity to get back to where he needed to be since returning from a shoulder injury, unfortunately it wasn’t enough,” Jones said.
World Cup-winning skipper John Eales meanwhile leapt to Jones’ defence, saying the Australia coach was unlikely to be ruffled with the tournament just five weeks away.
“Eddie’s not the type of guy to panic,” Eales said. “He’s a very considered guy, he would have a lot of rhyme and reason behind his selections.”
Eales, who played in both Australia’s World Cup wins in 1991 and 1999, expressed sympathy for those who missed out.
“It would be devastating for them,” he said. “They’ve obviously been involved in the squad all year so it will be very tough, but there are a lot of people who will be very disappointed at not being selected.”
England (v France, Twickenham, tomorrow): J Robinson; I Balshaw, S Abbott, W Greenwood, B Cohen; J Wilkinson, K Bracken; T Woodman, S Thompson , J White, M Johnson, B Kay, R Hill, N Back, M Corry.
Replacements: D West, J Leonard, S Shaw, L Moody, M Dawson, P Grayson, J Lewsey.
France: C Poitrenaud; X Garbajosa, Y Jauzion, B Liebenberg, C Dominici ; G Merceron, D Yachvilli; O Milloud, R Ibanez, J-B Poux, D Auradou, O Brouzet, S Chabal, P Tabacco, C Labit.
Replacements: Y Bru, S Marconnet, J Thion, I Harinordoquy, O Magne, F Michalak, A Rougerie.
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