{"id":289438,"date":"2023-09-21T02:49:11","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T02:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=289438"},"modified":"2023-09-21T02:49:11","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T02:49:11","slug":"whos-skipper-wallabies-cant-name-captain-days-before-biggest-game-in-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/rugby-union\/whos-skipper-wallabies-cant-name-captain-days-before-biggest-game-in-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Who\u2019s skipper? Wallabies can\u2019t name captain, days before biggest game in years"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Saint-Etienne:<\/strong> Before Australia\u2019s second Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand early last month, Eddie Jones revealed that Tate McDermott would lead the Wallabies in Dunedin.<\/p>\n

The Queenslander was Australia\u2019s fourth skipper in four matches, after Michael Hooper, James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa had all gone before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to regenerate the team,\u201d Jones told reporters. \u201cHe\u2019s got great potential. He\u2019s got a good head on him. He\u2019s got all the attributes of being a very good captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Six days later, Jones changed his mind. He had to talk Will Skelton into becoming captain of the Wallabies at the World Cup in France.<\/p>\n

McDermott was officially appointed vice-captain.<\/p>\n

With Skelton injured and McDermott nursing a concussion on Sunday, hooker Dave Porecki was parachuted in as a last-minute stand-in skipper for the 22-15 loss to Fiji.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tate McDermott missed the loss to Fiji due to concussion.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n

Now, with McDermott passing his return-to-play protocols, it was widely assumed the halfback would lead his country for Sunday\u2019s (5am Monday AEST) match against Wales in Lyon.<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not quite sure,\u201d McDermott said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a strong leadership group, so anyone in that group is capable of taking that role. You saw Dave Porecki take over and I missed that game, so we\u2019ll just have to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four days out from Australian rugby\u2019s biggest match in years, given what is at stake, the Wallabies are in such a disjointed and confused state that they cannot say with conviction who their skipper will be for a must-win clash.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Former captain James Slipper has more than 130 Test caps, but has been overlooked for a return to the top job.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n

Even if McDermott has been internally appointed skipper for this game, it says a lot that he chose not to let fans know what the plan is.<\/p>\n

Hooper wasn\u2019t wanted in France. Slipper is, to the confusion of many supporters, being overlooked as skipper despite having 132 Tests of experience. Alaalatoa is injured.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago, McDermott was the side\u2019s vice-captain but a head knock appears to have flipped Jones\u2019 thinking.<\/p>\n

The returned coach changes his mind with remarkable regularity and supporters are having trouble trying to work out his rationale.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dave Porecki was at the helm for the Wallabies\u2019 shock loss to Fiji.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n

World Rugby\u2019s media policy states that the side\u2019s skipper must appear for an interview two days before a match, which is why it was odd for McDermott to walk out for press duties four days before the Test.<\/p>\n

The Wallabies are crying out for experience and someone for the group to follow after the huge loss of Skelton.<\/p>\n

However, assistant coach Neal Hatley insists the revolving door of skippers \u2013 when the team is supposed to be at its most settled in a four-year World Cup cycle \u2013 is not a problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat leadership group \u2013 which still includes people like Skelts, Slips and Tate \u2013 they sit down, they work along with the coaching group [and discuss] how we want to play what we want the game to look like.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, yeah, I think we\u2019ve been in enough games now and lost people in important positions to know that it\u2019s not just one person.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome [other teams] are maybe a bit more stable … like South Africa that are eight years into a cycle or Fiji, that are eight years into a cycle. Yep, we\u2019re seven, eight games into it. Look, it\u2019s not a massive thing for us. We\u2019ve got people that do that in the week that have done it in games for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whoever is Wallabies captain will need to be clever around game management in the final periods of a match where bonus points could be crucial.<\/p>\n

Teams pick up four points for a win and an extra point if they score four tries.<\/p>\n

Losing teams can still snare two separate bonus points: one for accumulating four tries and the other for coming within seven points of their opponents.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ve done it every week, we\u2019ve put ourselves in that position, we haven\u2019t been good enough.\u2019<\/p>\n

With Fiji and Australia tied on six points \u2013 behind Wales on 10 \u2013 the Wallabies will be desperate to ensure Warren Gatland\u2019s side come away from Lyon empty-handed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re aware of the bonus point situation,\u201d McDermott said. \u201cBut at the forefront of our mind is a performance that actually puts us in a position to be able to capitalise on those points.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done it every week, we\u2019ve put ourselves in that position, we haven\u2019t been good enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve just got to make sure we\u2019re clinical enough at the breakdown and we\u2019re clear in our minds exactly what we want to do when we get down there. We\u2019re thinking about getting the victory first and foremost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch all the action from <\/b>Rugby World Cup 2023<\/b> on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match streaming ad-free, live and in 4K UHD with replays, mini matches and highlights available on demand.<\/b><\/p>\n

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