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What players can expect at Eddie Jones' first Wallabies training camp

By Finn Morton
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

In a couple of days’ time, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones will oversee the national team for the first time since returning to Australia earlier this year.

With this year’s World Cup just around the corner, Rugby Australia made the bold decision in January to replace Dave Rennie with legendary coach Eddie Jones.

Since replacing Rennie in the Wallabies’ hot seat, Jones has risen to fan favourite status – and the Wallabies haven’t played a game yet.

Jones, who coached the Wallabies 20 years ago, has publicly expressed his desire to help Australian rugby and the Wallabies return to its former glory.

The 63-year-old named a star-studded 33-player squad earlier this month ahead of the camp, where he’ll have his first opportunity to coach some of the nation’s best talent.

While the squad boasts an exciting mix of experience and potential, they haven’t experienced Eddie Jones’ approach to coaching.

Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles believes the camp will be an educational experience for the players selected.

“I’m assuming it’s going to be a whole lot of information that is going to be dumped on these players,” Hoiles said on Stan Sport.

“Some guys will get called in and they’ll meet Eddie for the first time. They’ll be getting told things that they’ve never heard before, (what) he’s expecting out of them to improve on.

“There’ll be a lot of harsh reality being spoken to some players.

“That what’s Eddie does. He’ll bring some players in that think they’re there and they’ve done really well and he’ll tell them that they’re miles off selection for the World Cup.

“There’s gonna be a variety of players that are in that camp that are still sitting there naturally very nervous and I’d be too. I have been in that exact same position.

“It’s a nerve-racking time for young players with a new coach.”

Jones selected six uncapped players in his first Wallabies squad, including Rebels playmaker Carter Gordon.

Gordon has taken Super Rugby Pacific by storm this season, and appears destined for a long career in Wallaby gold.

But there were some surprises omissions too.

Wallabies regulars Tate McDermott, Harry Wilson and Noah Lolesio all missed on selection. But there’s a lot of rugby to be played ahead of this year’s World Cup – plenty of time to stake their selection claim.

"These guys get the opportunity, they get to put hteir engines in front of the engineers at the first camp," Jones said on his podcast Eddie.

"The guys have got 10 rounds but they've got to do something different, they can't keep doing the same thing.

"They haven't been picked because they haven't rolled their sleeves up enough, haven't played with enough toughness and fight and worked hard enough off the ball."