Eddie Jones will lead the Wallabies' World Cup challenge. Photo / Getty Images
Carter Gordon has been thrust into the spotlight, and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has stressed patience among those demanding the young first-five shine immediately.
Jones again was forced to defend his selection of Gordon in the No. 10 jersey ahead of this weekend’s second Bledisloe Cup test in Dunedin, handing the 22-year-old his second test start after a mixed outing in Melbourne last weekend.
The test in Dunedin will be just Gordon’s fourth test appearance, and when questioned about the decision to start Gordon and have 79-test veteran Quade Cooper on the bench, Jones stressed the need to give Gordon the time to become a bona fide test player.
“He’s going to make more mistakes; I can guarantee you that. He’ll learn from it, and when he’s played as many tests as Richie Mo’unga ... he’ll cease to make as many mistakes as he makes now,” Jones said.
“We’d love him to have a mistake-free game on Saturday, but the reality is [he’s] a young guy learning his apprenticeship. He needs to make his mistakes, learn from them and not listen too much to blokes like you.
“That’s my job – to make sure he doesn’t listen to blokes like you who want to put rubbish in his head.”
As was the case ahead of last weekend’s first Bledisloe Cup test, Jones again faced questions as to whether starting Gordon was the right call, with Jones suggesting such questions were ill-informed.
“To say [about] a young 10 in his first game, ‘You’ve got it wrong in selecting him’, it’s just a load of rubbish. Anyone who asks that question doesn’t know anything about rugby,” he quipped.
“If you know anything about rugby, you know 10s need time in the seat. If you don’t know anything about rugby, don’t talk to me.”
Gordon will be able to build some continuity and familiarity in the test arena in Dunedin with the World Cup fast approaching as Jones looks to settle on his team to challenge for the title of world champions next month.
While Gordon gets another start this week, Jones wouldn’t give anything away as to whether the squad was an indication of who he believed were his best options for the tournament in France.
Saturday afternoon’s test will be the side’s penultimate match before their World Cup campaign begins, with a clash against France scheduled for late August.
“You can read into it that this is the best team to play against New Zealand this Saturday,” he said.
The Wallabies have been forced into a couple of changes due to injury. Pone Fa’amausili will start at tighthead prop in place of injured captain Allan Alaalatoa, who suffered an Achilles rupture during last weekend’s test in Melbourne and has been ruled out of the World Cup. One-test prop Zane Nonggorr joins the bench, with Taniela Tupou unavailable after suffering a rib injury in Melbourne.
Fraser McReight has also been recalled to the starting side at openside flanker with Michael Hooper (calf injury) still unavailable, and Tom Hooper will move from openside to blindside. Rob Valetini remains at the back of the scrum.
The only other change to the starting side sees locks Richie Arnold and Will Skelton trade roles, with Arnold moving from the bench into the starting side.
Tate McDermott resumes his role in the No. 9 jersey in an unchanged backline, and takes over the captaincy from Alaalatoa.
Wallabies: Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Carter Gordon, Tate McDermott, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Richie Arnold, Nick Frost, Pone Fa’amausili, David Porecki, Angus Bell.
Reserves: Jordan Uelese, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Will Skelton, Rob Leota, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Izaia Perese.
All Blacks: Will Jordan, Shaun Stevenson, Braydon Ennor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Damian McKenzie, Finlay Christie, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams.
Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Dallas McLeod.
For live commentary of All Blacks v Wallabies, join Elliott Smith on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRADIO; catch the Alternative Commentary Collective on iHeartRADIO, Hauraki and SKY Sport 9, or get live updates from nzherald.co.nz.