Wallabies eager to take on old enemy

WALLABIES boss Michael Cheika may scoff at another fun-and-games sideshow erupting, but Eddie Jones is waiting for the right moment to take the heat off rusty England before Sunday’s Twickenham blockbuster.

The Wallabies will head to London full of confidence after a freakish Kurtley Beale try and enormous character with 14 men in defence delivered the 29-21 victory over Wales in Cardiff yesterday.

Not since the 2015 Rugby World Cup have the Wallabies won four straight Tests and here was more vintage tackling to cover for skipper Michael Hooper when he was sinbinned.

While Cheika was smiling, Jones found himself defending an expletive-spiced outburst of frustration at Twickenham yesterday during a lacklustre 21-8 win over Argentina.

Jones was caught by TV cameras slamming a notebook and shouting, “How f------ stupid are we?” at a silly penalty as his team lurched unconvincingly to perhaps the worst of his 20 wins from 21 Tests in charge. Jones just moved on.

“We want to play good rugby and I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be frustrated,” he said. “We’ve got a very clear vision of how we want to play against Australia and it should be fun. We are hoping Australia bring their absolute best game.”

It was the first hitout by a full-strength England since March, whereas the Wallabies have been grooved by 12 Tests since then on their upward arc.

The Wallabies are every chance of revenge for the ugly 0-4 ledger against Jones and England last year and Cheika seemed peeved no such credit was being given in England.

“We understand the pundits over here don’t think we are much of a chance. They’ve already given England 3-0 for [the Tests in] November,” he said. “I think I saw one commentator say with all respect to Australia a good club side would beat them.”

Cheika wryly said: “I don’t think there is too much for them [England] to worry about.”