Jones contemplates change to Wallabies captaincy model

Melissa Woods | April 3, 2023

Eddie Jones is contemplating having more than one World Cup captain due to the potential impact of concussion on his Wallabies team.

The coach will get a first-hand look at his candidates at a training camp on the Gold Coast from April 16-18 after naming a 33-player squad on Sunday.

James Slipper took over as captain when fellow Test centurion Michael Hooper stepped away before a match against Argentina last August due to mental health reasons.

Hooper has declared he’s willing and able to assume the duties again ahead of the tournament in France starting in September.

But Jones said he might need more than one man for the job, due to head injury assessment protocols.

World Rugby’s compulsory stand-down period for affected players is 12 days.

“I reckon we’ll need probably seven captains with HIA, so you can all write down your seven choices on a slip and you can send them through to me,” Jones joked with reporters.

“But in all seriousness, the way the game is at the moment I think we’re going to need a number of captains.

“I’m just working out what will best suit the team, firstly for the Rugby Championship and then obviously as an entree into the World Cup.

“We’ll just work out who has the title of captain, and how many captains we have.”

Seven overseas players have invited to join some of the camp sessions online and Jones was asked if that was a pointer to changes in the Giteau law restrictions.

He said discussions about selection of overseas players was ongoing and likely wouldn’t be decided until the World Cup squad needed to be finalised in mid-August.

“We won’t have to make that decision until we make the World Cup squad, but there are discussions going on about that,” Jones said.

“But certainly if you look at those players who are going to join by Zoom, they’re pretty talented players. 

“But again, talent isn’t everything – they’ve got to be prepared to work hard and commit themselves to Australia and then in some cases that might affect their contracts overseas.”

Japan-based lock Rory Arnold was left out after he opted to stay in Japan and train while his team withdrew from the Top League after a bar brawl.

“I think he’s working on the factory line at Hino isn’t he? I think he’s making those trucks, because he’s not playing rugby at the moment,” Jones said.

“To get selected you have to play rugby, we don’t pick blokes who make Hino trucks.”

Jones was the sole selector of the squad but said it wasn’t a “one man dictatorship”.

“I’ve got a number of people I take advice from, some of the most learned people in Australian rugby have been using their eyes and their wisdom to help support views that I may or may not have,” he said.