Wallabies’ most experienced player is ‘touch and go’ for World Cup opener

The Wallabies are set to go into battle in their first World Cup match without their most experienced player, former captain James Slipper.

Head coach Eddie Jones did not sound confident about the chances of his veteran prop overcoming injury in time to pack down with the Wallabies against Georgia as he battles with a tendon problem in his foot.

“At this stage, it’s definitely touch and go for Georgia,” Jones told reporters at the Australian team base north of Saint-Etienne on Thursday.

“He’s got a tendon problem with his foot.

Despite other injury problems in the squad still lingering, including knocks to tight-head prop Pone Fa’amausili, hooker Jordan Uelese and centre Samu Kerevi, Jones was adamant that everything was on course in the preparations to face Georgia.

“Are we on track for Georgia? Yes, we are on track for Georgia. Then after we deal with Georgia, we get on track for the next game,” he said.

“That’s all we have to worry about.”

He was adamant the team was still developing despite losing the first five tests in his latest stint as national coach.

“You go in with a perception of how you think the team may be and then the players’ talents have really shone through and we’re just discovering now how we need to operate as a team, how we want to play and how we can play to our strengths,” Jones said.

“So for us, it’s all just really starting now.

“We’ve got a new leadership group in, led by Will [Skelton] and that’s changing the team as well. So for us, the big thing is finding the right way to play to our players’ strengths.

“The plan was always to free us up from structure. I don’t believe you can copy other teams’ structure.”

Australia will face Georgia at 2pm AEST on Sunday, September 10,

AAP