Wallabies 2023: Eddie Jones says he 'fancies' himself against All Blacks ahead of Bledisloe Cup opener at MCG, Rugby World Cup

As Eddie Jones dismissed wanting any involvement with a Kiwi invasion during the 2025 Lions series, the veteran coach once again got on the front foot ahead of next week’s Bledisloe opener declaring, “I quite fancy ourselves against New Zealand”.

Despite consecutive defeats to start his second tenure with the Wallabies, Jones has been at his bullish best since the Wallabies’ last-minute defeat to Argentina last weekend.

“I quite fancy ourselves against New Zealand. They haven’t been put under any pressure yet, and I think we’ve got the ability to put them under some pressure.”

Jones, who won the Bledisloe Cup against the All Blacks in 2001 and 2002 and also pulled off stunning semi-final victories against the rugby powerhouse in 2003 and 2019, said the Wallabies didn’t have any right to be confident but added he enjoyed the challenge of coaching against New Zealand.

“I like coaching against New Zealand,” he said. “It’s like the highlight of the year.”

Stunning starts against Los Pumas in Argentina and the Springboks at home have the All Blacks on top spot in The Rugby Championship.

Jones, whose Wallabies have scored the opening try in their two opening defeats, said the All Blacks had yet to be put under pressure from the outset and it was essential they did to have any chance of pulling off an upset win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 29.

“They haven’t been put under pressure yet, and our job is to put them under pressure,” Jones said.

“You look at their first 20 minutes against South Africa, it was almost perfect rugby. Every kick they won in the air, they were good on the gain line, very smart about the way they played.

“If we’re able to match that in the first 20 minutes and put a bit of pressure on them, which they haven’t had this year, then funny things can happen.”

Jones surmised that New Zealand Rugby’s decision to appoint Scott Robertson to replace Ian Foster following the World Cup had contributed to their fast start in 2023.

“Usually they have a much more moderated start and build up to the World Cup, but I think because of the change in the coach post the World Cup they’ve said ‘stuff this we’re going to hard right from the first minute,'” Jones said.

The Wallabies will meet the All Blacks at the MCG for the first time since John Connolly’s side beat their neighbours 20-15 in 2007.

Jones said their winning record could be an advantage.

“I’ve never coached there. What have I watched there? AFL, so I didn’t get too excited,” he said.

“But it’s a great ground and it’s the only ground where any team in the world has got a positive advantage over New Zealand. That’ll be sticking out the back of their minds, and maybe that might have a factor in the game. It’s a good narrative for us.”

The reality is the Wallabies will be massive underdogs for the Test despite last year’s heartbreaking loss to the All Blacks across the road at Marvel Stadium proving that the bookies don’t always get it right.

Should the Wallabies lose in Melbourne, it’s more than likely they will head to France on August 17 ahead of their World Cup opener on September 9 winless given a Test to follow in Dunedin.

But Jones said the Wallabies could still challenge at the World Cup even if they lost, pointing to his history with South Africa in 2007 and Japan in 2015 as evidence that momentum doesn’t always count.

“100 per cent. 100 per cent,” he emphatically said.

“Yeah, these are important games, very important games. We’ve got the Bledisloe Cup, we haven’t won it for 22 years, but what you do at the World Cup, as compared to what you did before the World Cup, is two completely different things.

“I was involved with South Africa in 2007. We won one of our Tri Nations games. In Japan in 2015, we won one of five warm-up games.

“It’s how you use the games, and you’ve got to be strategic about using the games to get yourself right and particularly coming in as a new coach. Every game is a learning experience for me. It’s a learning experience for me.

“Certainly we’d like to have much better results. We’d like to have two wins. But that’s not the case, but that doesn’t mean we’re not learning for the World Cup.”

Jones will name his squad for the two-Test Bledisloe series on Thursday.

Taniela Tupou is set to return to the Wallabies squad after making his comeback for Australia A against Tonga last Friday.

The massive tight-head prop, as well as outside back Andrew Kellaway, look likely to push for selection for the MCG Test and neither will likely play club rugby this weekend despite their limited minutes.

“Well, selection’s another issue and certainly we’ve got a few blokes coming back,” Jones said.

“Again, we’ve got probably six or seven players, at least, who are coming back from long-term injuries, who every game they play they’ll be a little bit better, and Tupou’s one of those so we’ll see how he is.”