Winless Wallabies reliant on Jones' tournament craft
Australia certainly look like they need any edge they can get as they head into the tournament without a win in five tests this year and ranked ninth in the world, the triumphs of 1991 and 1999 fading fast from memory.
Jones, however, knows the Wallabies will not need to beat the best in the world every week in France to get to the business end of the World Cup.
The wily Sydneysider has taken three teams to World Cups as a head coach and in each has masterminded a single, almost perfect, performance.
With Australia in 2003, it was the semi-final against New Zealand in Sydney, where the Wallabies confounded unbackable odds to beat the All Blacks and reach the final.
In 2015 in Brighton, his Japan side stunned the world with a last-gasp victory over South Africa that remains arguably the greatest upset in the history of the World Cup.
New Zealand were again the victims in 2019 when England dominated the defending champions in a 19-7 victory in Yokohama that sent them into the title decider.
Both finals were lost and Japan still exited in the pool stage but Jones also knows a successful World Cup campaign for Australia in 2023 does not necessarily mean lifting the trophy.
That hosts France, top-ranked Ireland, reigning champions South Africa and perennial powerhouse New Zealand are on the other side of the draw will certainly help.
If the Wallabies can get out of a Pool C also featuring Wales, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal they are likely to meet England or Argentina for a spot in the last four.
Given the low expectations Down Under, a semi-final berth with the promise of better to come when Australia host the World Cup in 2027 would have to be considered a good result.
SERIOUS WEAKNESSES
The showman in Jones has been maintaining that a third World Cup triumph for the Wallabies is a possibility, even if the evidence of the first five tests of his second reign suggest otherwise.
He abandoned his attempts to build on what he inherited from Dave Rennie after losses to South Africa and Argentina, dumping veterans like Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper and rolling the dice on promising youth.
Whether the youngsters can make the step up remains to be seen, although there were good signs in the 23-20 loss to the All Blacks in the second Bledisloe Cup test.
A 41-17 humbling at the hands of France in their final warm-up, however, once again exposed serious weaknesses that will need to be remedied urgently.
The 14 penalties conceded were an indication that a Wallabies pack, led by new captain Will Skelton, has yet to strike the fine balance between aggression and discipline.
While the set pieces were competitive, the Australian rolling maul is nowhere near the weapon that all title contenders will need.
Jones's decision to throw all his chips in on Carter Gordon at flyhalf also backfired when the 22-year-old, who is not a regular place-kicker in Super Rugby, had an off day from the tee at the Stade de France.
Australia do have plenty of threats in the backline with former rugby league standout Suliasi Vunivalu starting to reward Jones's patience in an already dangerous corps of outside backs.
If the likes of Vunivalu, Marika Koroibete, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Andrew Kellaway and even teenager Max Jorgensen get decent ball in space, Australia will have enough firepower to get out of the pool.
After that, it is knockout rugby and Jones's track record at four previous World Cups - he was also an advisor to the triumphant 2007 Springboks side - suggests it would be unwise to write off the Wallabies just yet.
The Wallabies start their World Cup campaign against Georgia on September 9th.
