Exclusive: Eddie set for midfield switch as Wallabies sweat on miracle World Cup finish and CEO pops
- 8 か月前
#featured #RugbyUnion #RugbyWorldCup2023 #Wallabies
SAINT ETIENNE – Eddie Jones is set to inject a new-look midfield against Portugal and Izaia Perese is determined to start in what ways are the Wallabies' final World Cup fixture on Sunday . The Roar understand Perese will link up with Waratahs teammate Lalakai Foketi in midfield in place of Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia. The partnership is likely to address some of the defensive issues the Wallabies had against Wales. In fact, it took just a few minutes for Welsh captain Jac Morgan to unveil the Wallabies' new combination of Ben Donaldson and Kerevi, leaving first base out of the squad and sending in Gareth Davies to score at half-time. The inclusion of Foketi will not only provide some familiarity between inside and outside centre-backs, but will also allow Perese to add some physicality on the wings as he waits for chance to prove his worth. Perese, who been used sparingly by Jones so far, has started the 2023 season slowly but entered the year in good form. "Today was all about physicality in our last main session before Portugal. "The boys struggled a lot," Foketi told reporters on Thursday. The Wallabies, who watched Australia A beat Portugal in Paris in late August, expect the game to be a looser one. Foketi said that it is important for them maintain their form, but they will want add a little more width their game after Kerevi's battering ram approach failed bring the ball the front foot they wanted. “We always talk about our game plan as a framework to get into the game,” Foketi said. “Portugal are a good team, a really good sevens team, and we expect them to spread the ball around. "We've got be physical play with lead again we've missed a few opportunities this World Cup to expose teams we've talked about that this weekend if the opportunities are there, we won't be afraid pull trigger." Openside winger Fraser McReight is also eligible for recall to starting team; The Reds star has ability to get on ball when game is less physical and more open, making it more important. Two-Test halfback Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will also return to the bench and Nic White will miss selection. While Wallabies have an extremely good chance of advancing to the World Cup knockout stages, Jones will largely hold together core group that endured an unpleasant 40-6 defeat to Wales in Lyon last week. The 36-point defeat, the Wallabies' biggest defeat in World Cup history, followed their first defeat against Fiji in 69 years. Only Fiji capitulating in their final two Group C matches against Georgia and Portugal would give the Wallabies a chance of reaching the last eight. Flying Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui tried to make sure that didn't happen, saying the team that beat the Wallabies 22-15 was a full-strength team. "We've got a big job this weekend and who knows what's going to happen this weekend potentially, but we want to show Australia and our supporters that we care," Foketi said. "We want to have a
SAINT ETIENNE – Eddie Jones is set to inject a new-look midfield against Portugal and Izaia Perese is determined to start in what ways are the Wallabies' final World Cup fixture on Sunday . The Roar understand Perese will link up with Waratahs teammate Lalakai Foketi in midfield in place of Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia. The partnership is likely to address some of the defensive issues the Wallabies had against Wales. In fact, it took just a few minutes for Welsh captain Jac Morgan to unveil the Wallabies' new combination of Ben Donaldson and Kerevi, leaving first base out of the squad and sending in Gareth Davies to score at half-time. The inclusion of Foketi will not only provide some familiarity between inside and outside centre-backs, but will also allow Perese to add some physicality on the wings as he waits for chance to prove his worth. Perese, who been used sparingly by Jones so far, has started the 2023 season slowly but entered the year in good form. "Today was all about physicality in our last main session before Portugal. "The boys struggled a lot," Foketi told reporters on Thursday. The Wallabies, who watched Australia A beat Portugal in Paris in late August, expect the game to be a looser one. Foketi said that it is important for them maintain their form, but they will want add a little more width their game after Kerevi's battering ram approach failed bring the ball the front foot they wanted. “We always talk about our game plan as a framework to get into the game,” Foketi said. “Portugal are a good team, a really good sevens team, and we expect them to spread the ball around. "We've got be physical play with lead again we've missed a few opportunities this World Cup to expose teams we've talked about that this weekend if the opportunities are there, we won't be afraid pull trigger." Openside winger Fraser McReight is also eligible for recall to starting team; The Reds star has ability to get on ball when game is less physical and more open, making it more important. Two-Test halfback Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will also return to the bench and Nic White will miss selection. While Wallabies have an extremely good chance of advancing to the World Cup knockout stages, Jones will largely hold together core group that endured an unpleasant 40-6 defeat to Wales in Lyon last week. The 36-point defeat, the Wallabies' biggest defeat in World Cup history, followed their first defeat against Fiji in 69 years. Only Fiji capitulating in their final two Group C matches against Georgia and Portugal would give the Wallabies a chance of reaching the last eight. Flying Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui tried to make sure that didn't happen, saying the team that beat the Wallabies 22-15 was a full-strength team. "We've got a big job this weekend and who knows what's going to happen this weekend potentially, but we want to show Australia and our supporters that we care," Foketi said. "We want to have a