Eddie Jones, the seasoned tactician behind Japan's rugby strategy, isn't losing sleep over the Wallabies' surprise triumph against the Springboks at Ellis Park. While the victory shook the stands, Jones hints at a strategic gambit by Rassie Erasmus, suggesting the real battle is set for Cape Town.
Jones spilled the beans on the Rugby Unity podcast, revealing that Erasmus had already picked his squad for the showdown in Cape Town before the Rugby Championship even kicked off. "It's not unusual," Jones remarked about the secretive selection. "With a behemoth squad of 42, Erasmus plays his cards close to his vest. He's obviously prepping them for something big."
The Wallabies' win, despite a 22-0 deficit in the first quarter, was nothing short of stunning. Yet, Jones warns against overvaluation of this upset.
"They prioritised the Test at Cape Town, and they thought they could win with the squad they had for the first Test, which was obviously proven wrong,"
he stated. Adding, "That can happen at that level of rugby; anyone can win one game of rugby. They play that Test in Joburg 10 times and South Africa might win it seven of those times, so I wouldn’t read into it too much, mate."
Probing deeper into the Springboks' strategy, Jones suggested that the sea-level conditions in Cape Town play to the Wallabies' strengths. "They probably thought Australia would be stronger in the second Test at Cape Town," he explained. "Australia traditionally plays well there. In the old days at Newlands, the crowd used to be more receptive to the Australians than other crowds tended to be. The new stadium will have quite a good atmosphere."
As the rugby world turns its eyes towards the Cape Town showdown, it's clear that what happened in Johannesburg might just be a prelude to the main event, where strategies, altitude, and perhaps a bit of built-up animosity will collide in what promises to be a monumental clash.
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Eddie Jones, the seasoned tactician behind Japan's rugby strategy, isn't losing sleep over the Wallabies' surprise triumph against the Springboks at Ellis Park. While the victory shook the stands, Jones hints at a strategic gambit by Rassie Erasmus, suggesting the real battle is set for Cape Town.
Jones spilled the beans on the Rugby Unity podcast, revealing that Erasmus had already picked his squad for the showdown in Cape Town before the Rugby Championship even kicked off. "It's not unusual," Jones remarked about the secretive selection. "With a behemoth squad of 42, Erasmus plays his cards close to his vest. He's obviously prepping them for something big."
The Wallabies' win, despite a 22-0 deficit in the first quarter, was nothing short of stunning. Yet, Jones warns against overvaluation of this upset.
"They prioritised the Test at Cape Town, and they thought they could win with the squad they had for the first Test, which was obviously proven wrong,"
he stated. Adding, "That can happen at that level of rugby; anyone can win one game of rugby. They play that Test in Joburg 10 times and South Africa might win it seven of those times, so I wouldn’t read into it too much, mate."Probing deeper into the Springboks' strategy, Jones suggested that the sea-level conditions in Cape Town play to the Wallabies' strengths. "They probably thought Australia would be stronger in the second Test at Cape Town," he explained. "Australia traditionally plays well there. In the old days at Newlands, the crowd used to be more receptive to the Australians than other crowds tended to be. The new stadium will have quite a good atmosphere."
As the rugby world turns its eyes towards the Cape Town showdown, it's clear that what happened in Johannesburg might just be a prelude to the main event, where strategies, altitude, and perhaps a bit of built-up animosity will collide in what promises to be a monumental clash.