Carter Gordon’s trademark mullet is here to stay after an up close inspection from wisecracking Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.
Gordon, the uncapped Rebels playmaker, spoke to media on day two of his first Wallabies camp as Jones lays out his Rugby World Cup vision on the Gold Coast.
Jones, a coach with as much gravitas as any in world rugby, is well known for his quirks, mind games and unique coaching methods.
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“I can’t tell if he likes it or not, he hasn’t told me to cut it off or anything,” Gordon said in reference to his billowing blond locks.
“There’s always a bit of unexpected with a new coach. But the first time I met Eddie he made a joke right off the bat about how I looked and just got the ball rolling from there.
“He has been really good, but he hits you with a few jokes and gets into you a little bit, but it comes from a good side and he’s pretty easy to talk to.”
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Gordon is a strong chance to make his Wallabies debut in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Ben Donaldson is the other five-eighth in the squad while Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley joined parts of the camp via Zoom.
Gordon said he had only had “short, sharp chats” with Jones about his game.
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“Moreso around game stuff and style of footy and how we want to play. Nothing too in detail, just more so on the rugby side of things,” he said.
Fellow squad member Lalakai Foketi praised the environment Jones had created.
“Eddie has done a great job with, you know, having a laugh and getting the boys relaxed, but when its time to be serious he’s done that especially on the field,” Foketi said.
“I can’t speak highly enough of what the first couple of days have brought.”
Foketi added that it was difficult to compare Jones with his Wallabies predecessor Dave Rennie at this early stage in the new coach’s tenure.
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“You can’t really compare them, I guess. Dave is one coach and Eddie is another. I think what we’ve really enjoyed in this camp so far in the first couple days is how Eddie makes the boys feel and we feel welcome and we’re part of the beginning of what’s such a big year in only this short amount of time,” Foketi said.
“When I say he makes things relaxed, I think you feel relaxed, but you also know that you have to perform, and he lets you know that as well. Little reminders about stuff and how he wants to play, he does that really well as well.
“So, when you try compare Dave and Eddie, yeah, I can’t.”
The focus of the camp has been a blend of mentality, tactics and attitude for the players.
Gordon explained the major emphasis that Jones has drilled into the players in their first two days of camp was about “attitude” and mentality.
“A lot about attitude, we’ve got to want to win. We do want to win,” he said.
“And working for the bloke inside you, we talk a lot about working in threes at the moment and working for the bloke next to you and hustling. It’s been both technical, tactical and work rate too.”
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