Eddie Jones planning to bring down the New Zealand economy with Australia

No-one could accuse Eddie Jones of playing down the significance of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup match.

Australia's coach Eddie Jones poses for a team photo during a training session at Brighton Grammar School in Melbourne ahead of the Rugby Championship and 2023 Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand. (Photo by Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images)

The Australia coach is under some pressure in his homeland after beginning his second stint in charge with losses to South Africa and Argentina. Jones remains unbowed and believes a win for the Wallabies against the All Blacks in Melbourne would have such an impact it would bring down the New Zealand economy.

“There’s nothing better than winning against New Zealand because you’re feeling the country sinking,” Jones said. “It’s not just rugby that sinks, the country sinks. The whole economy goes down. The prime minister is there with his fingers crossed hoping the All Blacks win because he knows the economy will drop if they lose. So we can have that effect and at the same time Australian kids want to play rugby again. At the moment too many want to play AFL.”

Jones has made seven changes to his line-up and is giving a debut to Carter Gordon, the 22-year-old Rebels fly-half. It has been 21 years since Australia had their hands on the Bledisloe Cup and form suggests the wait will go on a bit longer – New Zealand opened their campaign with wins over Argentina and South Africa. A victory over the Wallabies at Melbourne Cricket Ground would see them retain the Rugby Championship title. Because it’s a World Cup year the tournament has been reduced, with each nation only playing each other once. Saturday’s later match sees South Africa host Argentina at Ellis Park, the Springboks’ final match on home soil before the World Cup.