‘You can blame me’: Jones apologises as Wallabies lament loss of star props

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‘You can blame me’: Jones apologises as Wallabies lament loss of star props

By Iain Payten

Wallabies front-rower Angus Bell lamented the “massive loss” of veteran prop Allan Alaalatoa as players and coach Eddie Jones pointed to a competitive opening quarter at the MCG as a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak preparation for the Rugby World Cup.

The Wallabies were left counting the heavy cost of a big defeat to New Zealand in front of almost 84,000 fans in Melbourne, with Alaalatoa and fellow tighthead prop Taniela Tupou suffering injuries.

Requiring surgery on a torn Achilles tendon, Alaalatoa is out of the World Cup, while Tupou will be racing the clock with rib cartilage damage. Australia’s first game against Georgia is 40 days away.

Ribs can take months to fully heal but even if Tupou is fit, the absence of Alaalatoa is a major blow given his status as a No.3 who can play big minutes. After being loaded onto a medicab at the MCG, every Wallabies player ran over to pat a downcast Alaalatoa.

“Al is a massive loss,” Bell said. “I was in the scrum when I heard the process of how you hurt yourself pretty badly, so he didn’t sound too good. Obviously ‘Nela’ [Tupou] is a big loss, too. Hopefully he is not long-term.

“Al is a big part of our team, a big part of our leadership. He holds a lot of respect in our group. And as well as being a world-class tighthead, that’s just the start of what we lose with Allan. It will be hard without him but we have blokes in that position who can step up and play that position.”

Allan Alaalatoa of the Wallabies leaves the field.

Allan Alaalatoa of the Wallabies leaves the field.Credit: Getty Images

Zane Nonnggor and Waratahs loosehead prop Tom Lambert joined the squad in Dunedin, with James Slipper set to swap sides and play tighthead in the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Dunedin on Saturday.

The All Blacks’ 31-point victory gave them the Bledisloe Cup for a 21st year, and came after the Wallabies had turned in their best quarter of rugby with a high-tempo opening 25 minutes. The hosts led 7-5 but a poor kicking game and ill-discipline allowed New Zealand to put pressure on the Australian line, and score twice before half-time.

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Angus Bell makes a break and almost scores.

Angus Bell makes a break and almost scores.Credit: Getty

After the interval, Australia couldn’t capitalise on a 10-minute period on New Zealand’s line, where their maul misfired. Then, having escaped their end, the Kiwis overran the tiring Wallabies.

Bell, who was Australia’s best, said the team would take heart from the opening stages as they try to stay positive on the road to the World Cup.

“We were doing what we trained all week, but we seemed to go away from it. They’re a quality team, so they capitalised on our mistakes and made us pay,” Bell said.

Centre Samu Kerevi added: “The scoreboard we are disappointed with, and there is no excuse from that. It’s not good enough. But as a group, we see the pieces and the moments in the game where we want this team to go. We know we can do it, we just have to do it for a long period.”

Jones apologised to fans in the post-match press conference and said he was accountable.

“I am so proud of our players, the way they have gone about their work. They work really hard. But we know it’s not good enough. I apologise to all the fans, it’s not good enough. That’s my fault, I take responsibility” he said.

When a journalist referenced the Wallabies’ close loss in Melbourne last year, Jones said: “I don’t think you can use that as a comparison. One thing that’s changed is the coach, so again, you can blame me, mate, if you want to. If you want the headline, ‘The problem is Jones’, use that. I am happy for you to use it, mate.”

Jones was happy with the performance of Tom Hooper at No.7.

Jones was happy with the performance of Tom Hooper at No.7.Credit: Getty

The Wallabies have lost three straight games and with games against New Zealand and world No.1 France scheduled for August, things look grim. But Jones said he was still confident the team is making progress and can be a “bloody good team”.

“Where there is life, there is hope,” Jones replied when asked for a message to Wallabies fans. If we went out today and couldn’t play with any cohesion and connection in the first 20, I would put up my hands and say, ‘What’s going on here?’ But I didn’t.

’You can blame me, mate, if you want to. If you want the headline, ‘The problem is Jones’, use that.′

Eddie Jones

“I saw a team that was cohesive and was connected and knew how we wanted to beat New Zealand. But we weren’t quite good enough to convert that pressure to points. Then you get a bit of a whooping and the injuries come. The clock is ticking, but we still have enough time.”

All Blacks players celebrate with the Bledisloe Cup.

All Blacks players celebrate with the Bledisloe Cup.Credit: Getty

Social media lit up with criticism of Jones after the Wallabies defeat, with many fans arguing the team had gone backwards since Dave Rennie was sacked.

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But Bell went into bat for Jones.

“He is a proud Australian, and he is pushing us to get better. And we are getting better, in certain aspects. We just have to replicate that first 20 minutes,” Bell said.

Jones said he was encouraged by the performance of rookie flanker Tom Hooper at No.7, who made 32 tackles in a high-pace game, and said he’d continue to back young No.10 Carter Gordon despite a scratchy performance.

“I think he is the best young ten in Australia, and I have seen Richie Mo’unga play Tests like that. Richie Mo’unga, if you look at his first 45 Tests, he had a bit of up-and-down in them,” Jones said.

“Sometimes you have to go through a bit of pain to bring young players through.”

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