Wed. Feb 12th, 2025

Axed Wallabies champion says Eddie Jones will be ‘feeling the pinch’ as he enters Rugby World Cup with just one win from last 14 matches<!-- wp:html --><p><a href="https://whatsnew2day.com/">WhatsNew2Day - Latest News And Breaking Headlines</a></p> <div> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Wallabies legend Michael Hooper has no doubt Eddie Jones will feel the heat when Australia chase a desperately needed victory over Georgia in their Rugby World Cup opener in Paris.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">It is well documented that the Wallabies are winless in five Tests since Jones took over from Dave Rennie in January.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">What is less heralded is how Jones has now presided over 13 defeats in his last 14 Tests during his two tenures as Wallabies coach.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Australia lost eight of nine Tests in 2005 before Jones was sacked, then resurrected his international coaching career in successful stints with South Africa, Japan and England.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">He helped Jake White take the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, coached Japan to a famous opening victory over South Africa in the 2015 global competition and guided England to to the 2019 final.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">But despite all the fanfare surrounding Jones’ second coming as Wallabies coach, the honeymoon is now well and truly over.</p> <div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap"> </div> </div> <p class="imageCaption">Eddie Jones has made the controversial decision to leave Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper out of his young Wallabies outfit for the Rugby World Cup.</p> </div> <div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap"> </div> </div> <p class="imageCaption">Hooper is not hitting due to his omission but said Jones will be under pressure to get results from his young side</p> </div> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The 63-year-old arrived in France for the 2023 edition under enormous pressure to revive the Wallabies’ flagging fortunes.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“I don’t think anyone is immune to the pressure, so I think Eddie would feel the effects of it,” Hooper told Nine radio ahead of Sunday morning’s Australian Cup opener ( AEST).</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“This match, to start a World Cup campaign, is really, really important (to) build momentum.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“So a good performance here playing the style of Wallaby rugby that they want to play is essential and for Eddie it’s just being able to come in on a Monday and talk very positively about some of the performances that happened this weekend.”</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><span class="mol-style-bold"><a target="_blank" class="class" href="https://help.stan.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/7666506792463-Rugby-World-Cup-2023-on-Stan-Sport" rel="noopener">Watch every World Cup match ad-free, live and on-demand in 4K UHD on Stan Sport.</a></span> </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The only man to win the John Eales Medal four times as the Wallabies’ player of the year, Hooper was – along with veteran playmaker Quade Cooper – one of the two most notable omissions from Australia’s ’34 squad players for the World Cup.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">But the champion flanker set the record straight by speculating he only found out through a phone call from the team boss, not Jones.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The 2019 World Cup captain and 125-Test stalwart insists he has spoken with Jones and remains confident he would have been picked without a nagging calf injury.</p> <div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap"> </div> </div> <p class="imageCaption">The opening ceremony before the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between France and New Zealand at the Stade de France</p> </div> <div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap"> </div> </div> <p class="imageCaption">Jones picked the most inexperienced Wallabies team since 2003 and lost all five pre-World Cup matches.</p> </div> <div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap"> </div> </div> <p class="imageCaption">Hooper (right) is ready to step up in case of injury at the Rugby World Cup in Paris</p> </div> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Hooper also says he will be ready to answer any SOS calls from the Wallabies during the tournament while he is in France as a television commentator.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“These things happen pretty quickly. You have to choose a team, there are injuries, you have to try to have the right balance. There are a lot of things that come into play,” the 31-year-old said of his non-selection.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“I got a call like everyone else. I was treated the same as everyone else – and as I should be. I discovered it like everyone else thanks to a phone call.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“The phone call was pretty close to when you had to pack your bags and leave for two months but, like I said, it was the same for everyone.”</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">If there is no World Cup call-up, Hooper suspects his professional rugby 15s career is likely over.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“I’m pretty much ready to go if I get a call on my phone from France. I’m ready to go,” he said.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“So my only regret would be that I wasn’t ready if that phone call came, and I’m pretty much there now, or I am.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“As far as my career at 15, I would say it’s starting to fade. I’m not going abroad at this stage, not next year anyway.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">“Sevens is a real opportunity and the opportunity to go to the Olympics is there.”</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><span class="mol-style-bold"><a target="_blank" class="class" href="https://help.stan.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/7666506792463-Rugby-World-Cup-2023-on-Stan-Sport" rel="noopener">Watch every World Cup match ad-free, live and on-demand in 4K UHD on Stan Sport.</a></span> </p> </div> <p><a href="https://whatsnew2day.com/axed-wallabies-champion-says-eddie-jones-will-be-feeling-the-pinch-as-he-enters-rugby-world-cup-with-just-one-win-from-last-14-matches/">Axed Wallabies champion says Eddie Jones will be ‘feeling the pinch’ as he enters Rugby World Cup with just one win from last 14 matches</a></p><!-- /wp:html -->

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Wallabies legend Michael Hooper has no doubt Eddie Jones will feel the heat when Australia chase a desperately needed victory over Georgia in their Rugby World Cup opener in Paris.

It is well documented that the Wallabies are winless in five Tests since Jones took over from Dave Rennie in January.

What is less heralded is how Jones has now presided over 13 defeats in his last 14 Tests during his two tenures as Wallabies coach.

Australia lost eight of nine Tests in 2005 before Jones was sacked, then resurrected his international coaching career in successful stints with South Africa, Japan and England.

He helped Jake White take the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, coached Japan to a famous opening victory over South Africa in the 2015 global competition and guided England to to the 2019 final.

But despite all the fanfare surrounding Jones’ second coming as Wallabies coach, the honeymoon is now well and truly over.

Eddie Jones has made the controversial decision to leave Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper out of his young Wallabies outfit for the Rugby World Cup.

Hooper is not hitting due to his omission but said Jones will be under pressure to get results from his young side

The 63-year-old arrived in France for the 2023 edition under enormous pressure to revive the Wallabies’ flagging fortunes.

“I don’t think anyone is immune to the pressure, so I think Eddie would feel the effects of it,” Hooper told Nine radio ahead of Sunday morning’s Australian Cup opener ( AEST).

“This match, to start a World Cup campaign, is really, really important (to) build momentum.

“So a good performance here playing the style of Wallaby rugby that they want to play is essential and for Eddie it’s just being able to come in on a Monday and talk very positively about some of the performances that happened this weekend.”

Watch every World Cup match ad-free, live and on-demand in 4K UHD on Stan Sport.

The only man to win the John Eales Medal four times as the Wallabies’ player of the year, Hooper was – along with veteran playmaker Quade Cooper – one of the two most notable omissions from Australia’s ’34 squad players for the World Cup.

But the champion flanker set the record straight by speculating he only found out through a phone call from the team boss, not Jones.

The 2019 World Cup captain and 125-Test stalwart insists he has spoken with Jones and remains confident he would have been picked without a nagging calf injury.

The opening ceremony before the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between France and New Zealand at the Stade de France

Jones picked the most inexperienced Wallabies team since 2003 and lost all five pre-World Cup matches.

Hooper (right) is ready to step up in case of injury at the Rugby World Cup in Paris

Hooper also says he will be ready to answer any SOS calls from the Wallabies during the tournament while he is in France as a television commentator.

“These things happen pretty quickly. You have to choose a team, there are injuries, you have to try to have the right balance. There are a lot of things that come into play,” the 31-year-old said of his non-selection.

“I got a call like everyone else. I was treated the same as everyone else – and as I should be. I discovered it like everyone else thanks to a phone call.

“The phone call was pretty close to when you had to pack your bags and leave for two months but, like I said, it was the same for everyone.”

If there is no World Cup call-up, Hooper suspects his professional rugby 15s career is likely over.

“I’m pretty much ready to go if I get a call on my phone from France. I’m ready to go,” he said.

“So my only regret would be that I wasn’t ready if that phone call came, and I’m pretty much there now, or I am.

“As far as my career at 15, I would say it’s starting to fade. I’m not going abroad at this stage, not next year anyway.

“Sevens is a real opportunity and the opportunity to go to the Olympics is there.”

Watch every World Cup match ad-free, live and on-demand in 4K UHD on Stan Sport.

Axed Wallabies champion says Eddie Jones will be ‘feeling the pinch’ as he enters Rugby World Cup with just one win from last 14 matches

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