Attack key to Jones' approach

MADRID - Coach Eddie Jones is pushing the Wallabies toward a more attacking brand of rugby, but says they lack the skills to take their game to a new level yet.

Three tests into the job, Jones is working to change the defence-orientated game he inherited from predecessor Rod Macqueen.

The Australians took defence to new heights under Macqueen and had their line crossed only once on their way to winning the 1999 World Cup tournament.

The other leading rugby nations, especially New Zealand and South Africa, have since caught up.

In the four tests of this year's Tri-Nations series, the Wallabies scored only five tries, including a penalty try, as the average score in the tournament dropped from 35 last year to 20 this year.

Jones is seeking a fresh edge by developing attacking options, but he acknowledges it will take time for the Wallabies' skill level to match his plans.

"Since the Tri-Nations, we've put a lot of work into our attack because it's not good enough," Jones said before the Wallabies' test against Spain early tomorrow (New Zealand time).

"While it's a worldwide malaise at the moment that defence is much better than attack, we'd like to change that around.

"We just haven't got the skill level and because we haven't got the skill level we haven't got the strategy.

"We're working on improving our skill level across the board - catching, passing, decision making at the breakdown, the physical work at the breakdown.

"Improving these areas will give us greater strategies to play. If we've got greater strategies to play, it will make defences answer various sorts of questions.

"In the Tri-Nations we played a direct style which didn't put too many questions to the defence but that was a successful style for us."

Jones wants every player in the squad to be capable of performing tasks at a level which is always a step ahead of the defence, and the Spanish test is the next stage in working on his new attacking moves.

An elegant, tree-lined mini-coliseum in the middle of academia is an unlikely venue for an historic moment in Australian rugby.

But the Wallabies will play their 400th test at Madrid University with a crowd optimistically expected to number 8000 on the concrete terraces and grassed banks surrounding the rugby ground.



Australia accept the test as part of their job to develop the game across the world and plan to field a full test side.

They face high-profile tests against England, France and Wales in the next month, but Jones said they were relishing the opportunity of playing an international against an emerging country such as Spain, who played at the last World Cup.

Although the Wallabies are playing against unrated opponents who have only a handful of professional players in their ranks, Jones insisted that his side would have no problem in motivating themselves for the match.

"No matter who the opposition are, we are always conscious that we must take pride in our performance," he said.

"We will be fielding a full test side and will be working on a number of aspects of our game in preparation for the England game next week."

Jones said he had seen videos of the Spanish side and had spotted some encouraging elements in their play.

"They have a bit of a French flavour, a good driving pack and they are quite sharp in the backs with some competent players who know what they are doing."

Wallabies captain George Gregan said the tourists were wary of underestimating their inexperienced opponents.

"We have played sides like this in the World Cup and they always play with a lot of passion. We are expecting a physical game."

Spanish coach Pablo Tomas Garcia said the game was a dream opportunity for his team.

"For some reason the All Blacks seem to have a certain aura about them, but for people involved in the game, Australia have been the top side in the world for some years and they are the team setting the pace for every rugby-playing nation."

- AGENCIES