Wallabies worried England boss Eddie Jones is out to teach them a lesson
Attack coach Stephen Larkham believes Aussie-born coach has a point to prove as he takes Red Rose Down Under
AUSTRALIA are fearful that Eddie Jones is desperate to teach them a lesson with England.
Former Wallabies boss Jones has been talking up his Red Rose tourists ahead of the three-Test series Down Under which kicks off in Brisbane a week tomorrow.
England have never won a tour in the Wallabies’ back yard and have only beaten them THREE times in 17 attempts away from home.
But Stephen Larkham, Jones’ former fly-half and now one of Wallabies boss Michael Cheika’s assistants, knows the 56-year-old is desperate to prove a point against his old side.
Attack coach Larkham said: “He’s very, very passionate about Australia and I’m sure he wants to come over here and teach us a lesson.
“Results speaks for themselves. He’s come in and changed the style of England’s game, the attitude within the playing group as well. I think the real test for him now is this tour... coming out here and seeing how they perform in these conditions.”
Jones has been talking up the tour for months and after landing on Aussie soil on Thursday he was greeted by extra security searches at Brisbane airport.
However, Larkham feels that Jones’ “Bodyline” comparisons are all about trying to create as much interest in what already promises to be an explosive tour against the World Cup runners-up.
He added: “That’s Eddie’s style. He creates a bit of hype around the game, a bit of interest in the game and that’s exactly what we need.”
MICHAEL CHEIKA fired a thinly-veiled dig at Eddie Jones as he admitted he was losing sleep over his colossal back-row options.
The Australia boss has two of the best poachers and jacklers in world rugby to unleash against England again in Michael Hooper and David Pocock.
Whereas Jones openly admitted before he took the Red Rose job that he didn’t have ANY natural No7s — labelling Chris Robshaw and James Haskell as merely merely six-and-halfs.
Cheika also has former Bath man Leroy Houston, Sean McMahon, Liam Gill and Wycliff Palu to throw into the mix.
And he said: “It really is making that selection difficult for me.
“Not much sleep last night, trying to get it done but I’ve been really pleased with the effort and the attitude there.
“Obviously we can play the back row in certain ways ,either with the two open sides or in the more traditional sense and I think we’ll use both of those options throughout the series.”
Wallabies star Hooper along with Pocock were two of the stand-out players of last year’s World Cup.
And Hooper said: “The guys have come into the camp flying this week off what’s been a tough Super Rugby campaign.
“Listening to Cheik, I’ve got no idea who he’s going to run with but I’m excited. You’ve got to put your hand up and want to be a part of the squad.”