Brumbies and Wallabies loose forward Rob Valetini admits it was “quite scary” meeting Eddie Jones after receiving the 2022 Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year award on Thursday.
Jones replaced Dave Rennie as head coach earlier this year after only recently being removed from his role with England at the end of last year.
Everything could change under the veteran coach, with Jones known to radically overhaul squads if he sees fit.
Intimidating presence
Valetini, who extended his commitment to the Wallabies and the Brumbies for four more years, claims meeting Jones was intimidating.
“Quite scary. I’d heard he’s quite a tough man,” Valetini told AAP.
“So we just chatted a little bit. Mostly about my family and what inspires me to play rugby.
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“He’s been smiling a bit so that’s a good sign, I think, at the moment but we’ll have to see come Wallabies time, if I’m there when the squad’s named.”
The 24-year-old knows everything could change, and every position is up for grabs. The simple equation is to have a good season in Super Rugby Pacific, which starts this weekend.
“Different coach, probably a different style of playing, I definitely think every spot is up for grabs this year and everybody gets a chance to push their case forward during Super Rugby,” Valetini said.
Embracing the new
Meanwhile, Waratahs scrum-half Jake Gordon admits he was shocked at Rennie’s removal but had to shift from disappointment to excitement to embrace the new set-up.
Much like Valetini, Gordon knows Super Rugby form is imperative to secure a plane ticket to France for the World Cup later this year.
“Initially I was shocked. I really enjoyed Dave as a coach. A really good man, great coach, so I was disappointed initially,” Gordon said.
“But then you’ve got to change (mindset) that pretty quickly. Eddie’s come in, he’s obviously got a great record. His resume really speaks for itself there.
“So it’s excitement now. I spoke to some of the boys who were in that Australia A program. They see an opportunity this year now, which is great for rugby.
“You’ll see more competitive spots across the board.
“So the inclusion of Eddie is exciting and I can’t wait for the season to start.
“What you’ve seen in other years, you have to perform at Super Rugby level. If you don’t play well, you won’t get picked. It’s pretty simple.”