Aussies can win – Jones

SYDNEY – Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is confident of his side’s chances of winning back the Tri-nations trophy following Saturday’s 23-18 victory over defending champions New Zealand.

“We’ve got ourselves in the best position possible after losing the first Tri-nations game (New Zealand beat Australia 16-7 in Wellington last month),” Jones said yesterday. “We can go to Durban with a fair bit of confidence knowing we’ll have a chance of winning the Tri-nations.It’s a good position to be in.”Australia’s final match in the annual tournament is against South Africa in Durban on August 21.The All Blacks will face the Springboks in Johannesburg a week earlier.New Zealand and Australia are on nine points with South Africa on two, but all three teams are still in contention for the title.Australia beat South Africa 30-26 in Perth on July 31 but have not defeated the Springboks in South Africa since 2000, winning 19-18 in Durban.Jones said: “While home ground advantage has been there so far, the next two games might go against that trend.”South Africa, with those two home games, will be hard to beat, but in Jo’burg New Zealand traditionally plays well… and New Zealand sides tend to play well at altitude,” the Wallabies coach added.”If we have any positive history in South Africa it’s in Durban.”The Tri-nations trophy was first contested in 1996.Australia won their maiden title in 2000 when Stirling Mortlock kicked a last-minute penalty goal against South Africa in Durban.The Wallabies retained the trophy in 2001 before the All Blacks claimed the trophy in 2002 and again last year.Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Tana Umaga could miss his team’s final Tri-nations match against South Africa on Saturday, after returning home to be with his wife for the birth of the couple’s third child.Umaga left Sydney yesterday for his Hutt Valley home, the day after New Zealand’s hopes of winning the Tri-nations trophy for the third consecutive season were dented with a 23-18 defeat by Australia.Depending on the timing of the child’s birth, Umaga may rejoin the All Blacks in time for the Johannesburg match.”We can go to Durban with a fair bit of confidence knowing we’ll have a chance of winning the Tri-nations.It’s a good position to be in.”Australia’s final match in the annual tournament is against South Africa in Durban on August 21.The All Blacks will face the Springboks in Johannesburg a week earlier.New Zealand and Australia are on nine points with South Africa on two, but all three teams are still in contention for the title.Australia beat South Africa 30-26 in Perth on July 31 but have not defeated the Springboks in South Africa since 2000, winning 19-18 in Durban.Jones said: “While home ground advantage has been there so far, the next two games might go against that trend.”South Africa, with those two home games, will be hard to beat, but in Jo’burg New Zealand traditionally plays well… and New Zealand sides tend to play well at altitude,” the Wallabies coach added.”If we have any positive history in South Africa it’s in Durban.”The Tri-nations trophy was first contested in 1996.Australia won their maiden title in 2000 when Stirling Mortlock kicked a last-minute penalty goal against South Africa in Durban.The Wallabies retained the trophy in 2001 before the All Blacks claimed the trophy in 2002 and again last year.Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Tana Umaga could miss his team’s final Tri-nations match against South Africa on Saturday, after returning home to be with his wife for the birth of the couple’s third child.Umaga left Sydney yesterday for his Hutt Valley home, the day after New Zealand’s hopes of winning the Tri-nations trophy for the third consecutive season were dented with a 23-18 defeat by Australia.Depending on the timing of the child’s birth, Umaga may rejoin the All Blacks in time for the Johannesburg match.