Jones wrestles with pivotal issue of who plays flyhalf for Australia
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Jones had left behind the arguments over the merits of Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and George Ford
SYDNEY (Reuters) - The first training squad selected by Eddie Jones in his second incarnation as Australia coach gave an indication of what kind of team he wants to put together but also what challenges he faces to get the Wallabies ready for the World Cup.
Headlined by a handful of uncapped youngsters picked on form, there was little evidence of a masterstroke to resolve one of the major issues that dogged his immediate predecessors, Dave Rennie and Michael Cheika.
Jones left behind the arguments over the merits of Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and George Ford when he was sacked by England last year but who fills the flyhalf role for Australia is even less settled five months out from the World Cup.
Cheika resolved the matter at the 2019 World Cup by simply not choosing, and chopping and changing his playmaker contributed to a disappointing campaign that ended in heavy defeat to Jones's England in the quarter-finals.
Rennie early on identified Noah Lolesio as the man to wear the number 10 shirt at the next World Cup but, frustrated by the 23-year-old's inability to take the ball to the line, brought Quade Cooper, James O'Connor and Bernard Foley back from exile.
On Sunday, Jones snubbed Lolesio and O'Connor and chose inexperience for this month's training camp in the shape of uncapped 22-year-old Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson, who has won two caps.
"Carter Gordon has been very impressive in his work ethic, his ability to take the ball to the line, his ability to mix his game up and his defensive tenacity," Jones said of the Melbourne Rebels pivot on Sunday.
Donaldson was not even first-choice flyhalf at the New South Wales Waratahs at the start of the season but Jones said he had been impressed when the 23-year-old won his two caps in the role on Australia's last tour of Europe.
Another promising flyhalf, Tom Lynagh, was marked as being unavailable because of injury but there was no mention of Tane Edmed, the 22-year-old selected ahead of Donaldson at the Waratahs this season before he suffered a back problem.
The list of overseas-based players who will join the training camp via Zoom might give a better idea of who will lead the Wallabies line in France. Cooper has never been afraid to take the ball up to the defensive line and returned after four years in the international wilderness to lead Australia to six victories in 2021 and 2022.
He will be 35 by the time the World Cup kicks off, however, and injuries kept him out of all but one test last year, when he ruptured his Achilles in the win over Argentina.
Foley, 33, then returned after three years in exile to come within a kick to touch of masterminding a win over the All Blacks last year and is the only one of the contenders whose goalkicking makes a compelling case for his inclusion.
Jones has said he will take three flyhalves to France but including both Cooper and Foley in his World Cup squad would, under current Rugby Australia rules, allow him to take only one additional overseas-based players.
The former England coach said talks were ongoing about loosening those restrictions but that places in his squad would not be earned by talent alone. "We won't have to make that decision until we pick the World Cup squad," he said.
"There is some work to be done in finding out who the right players are, what level of commitment they've got, and how hard they are prepared to work."
