Jones in search for props and pivots

2.30pm

Operation prop and five-eighth is on top of Eddie Jones' agenda as the Wallabies coach plans for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

While Jones is satisfied with the back-ups emerging for halfback George Gregan should the captain not last until 2007, he remains concerned by the lack of depth in Australian rugby at five eighth.

And the front row has long been a problem area.

Jones is confident the current crop of individual brilliance in Matt Giteau, Stirling Mortlock, Lote Tuqiri, Clyde Rathbone and Chris Latham in the outside backs will gel into a major force in time for France 2007.

Included in his plans are Elton Flatley, Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor, who were all on the bench for this week's Test against France.

"You look at the backline, all of them should go through to the next World Cup, the only question marks would be Stevie and George," Jones said.

"From No 12 out, they're all young guys who are either going to be at their peak or approaching their peak at the next World Cup."

Jones said Matt Henjak and Josh Valentine were emerging as viable options to put pressure on the injured Chris Whittaker as Gregan's back-up.

But at five-eighth, while Flatley and Giteau can adapt from inside centre to cover for 30-year-old Stephen Larkham, Jones wanted to find another specialist No 10 who demanded national selection.

Henjak and Valentine have a chance to prove themselves when they are expected to play 40 minutes each for Australia A against the French Barbarians in Paris on Tuesday.

"The Australia A game will be a very important game because we'll get to see those guys play in a pretty fast and furious game that's going to be as close to Test rugby as you can get," Jones said.

"At 10 we've got Gits and Flats but we want to develop another young talent over the next year or so.

"We definitely have to find someone.

"And that will be the benefit of having a fourth Super 14 side."

While the front row is the biggest worry in the forwards, building the entire tight five is high on Jones' priority list.

"We've got to get more depth in the tight five," Jones said.

"We've lost a number of tight head props in the last three years, probably a year or two prematurely which has exposed us.

"By the end of next year I'd like to say we've got five or six props good enough to be in the national squad.

"We need two or three to come up in the Super 12 next year."

Loosehead prop Bill Young endorsed Jones' comments that a fourth provincial team in Australia was essential to build depth in the specialist front row positions.

"With only three sides to choose from it's a very small playing pool," Young said.

"You cop one or two injuries and you're really scraping the barrel so to speak.

"You can't just create front rowers.

"You just can't pluck them out of club football, you're not going to see the days of Phil Kearns coming out of second grade at Randwick and playing Test football the next week.

"That's why the fourth Super 14 team is going to be fantastic for Australian rugby."

The ARU will decide on December 10 whether Perth or Melbourne will be home to Australia's fourth province in the 2006 Super 14 competition.

- AAP