Eddie Jones admits his future with Wallabies at stake
Eddie Jones says he’s unsure if he will be coaching the Wallabies beyond the World Cup if they fall to Wales in their crunch pool clash in Lyon.
His team face the embarrassing prospect of becoming the first Wallabies side to miss the quarter-finals in tournament history should they lose.
Jones said there would be a review at the end of the tournament and despite his contract through to the next tournament in 2027, held in Australia, said he may not be at the helm.
His record is one win from seven Tests since replacing Dave Rennie in January.
“At the end of the World Cup there’ll be a review and given the results we’ve had then maybe Australian Rugby doesn’t want to keep me,” Jones said.
“That’s the reality of the job I live in and I understand that.”
Linked to the Japan national job, Jones was repeatedly pressed by a journalist on his commitment to coaching the Wallabies but refused to answer, saying he was only focused on the match against the unbeaten Welsh.
“I’m just worried about coaching against Wales this week,” was his response.
Jones has overhauled the Australian team, dumping veterans including long-term skipper Michael Hooper and playmaker Quade Cooper.
He insisted he had no regrets and said he was prepared to make some hard decisions to improve Australian rugby, despite the frustration of fans about their run of results.
“I don’t try to make myself out as a saint but sometimes you’ve got to take some hard decisions to get the results further down the track,” Jones said.
“I’ve got no doubt we’ll win on Sunday, the way the team’s prepared and have come together.
“But if we don’t, then sometimes you’ve got to do the work that allows you to be successful further down the track.
“I don’t know of any team that you can come in and blow magic over, you’ve got to go through a process and you’ve got to find out what’s wrong with the team and then you’ve got to try to address those problems.
“So, I sit here very comfortably feeling like I’m doing the job I should be doing.
“I know people are upset about it, and I understand that … because the results aren’t good enough, but sometimes there’s some pain before you get some success.”
Jones was asked why he didn’t wait until after this World Cup in France to make such changes but said he needed to blood young players now.
“Those guys have been around, results over the last period of time haven’t been what they need to be and our results are even worse, but sometimes you’ve got to do that to go forward.
“We need to create a new group of players that have higher standards of training, higher standards of behaviour, higher standards of expectation, that’s what we’re trying to do mate.
“I don’t think waiting is the right answer, you need to start building a team.
“To win a World Cup I reckon it takes six years … very rarely it’s done before that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Good player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
57 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
57 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
57 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
2 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
57 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
57 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
1 Go to commentsThat’s what happens when you are scared of scrums
2 Go to commentsWhats interesting now is the evolution of rugby. More and more the laws are favouring the team in possession and the ball carrier. Teams can keep the ball for longer periods more than ever before with little risk and wear down defences as long as they don’t knock it on. Set pieces are seen as hindrances and as time wasting annoyances by law makers and they are being depowered as lawmakers strive for higher ball in play time. Perhaps its only natural then that teams will take a more assertive and aggressive approach in defence. An offensive defence as you said Nick. This may force errors and turnovers and help teams to break up attacking plays while providing counterattacking prospects. Perhaps we will see more and more teams adopt the blitz in the next 4 year cycle and beyond much like Gegenpress has met Tiki Taka in football. Instead of Pep and Klopp we will have Farrell and Nienaber.
25 Go to commentsArrogant entitled prick with a huge chip on its shoulder
5 Go to commentsApparently the only ppl Scotland can beat are their spouses…thank you / good night!
6 Go to commentsSo….who is Andy Goode?
57 Go to commentsEngland had to bed in their new defensive system while challenging for the 6N. The schedule allowed them to try and focus on defense for first 3 matches and then target Ireland (the pre tournament target match). A win in France would be a bonus.
1 Go to commentsJust from watching the highlights there was plenty to like and plenty to build on. Some of these boys will be Super players soon and they will benefit from the exposure. Sounds like the coaches have made a good connection with these young men.
3 Go to commentsDont know if the Irish players said it or not, but lets all be honest with ourselves, and hopefully both the Irish and French have healed by now, the Media did jump the gun, be realistic, according to 90% of the media it was a France and Ireland final, and the media had 1 of them winning the world cup, not even mentioning the All blacks? Just remember world cups are different, Australia was not the most in form cricket tean in the last cricket world cup, but they have a nack of winning when it matters. I wont go into whether what Etzabeth is saying is true, all I am saying is that its very easy for a team to get ahead of themselves due to the media. Nothing wrong with it, the media got the springboks over confident against England and we nearly lost that one.
57 Go to commentsHey Finn, Well done to the Junior Wallabies…a win is a win but it was a wet and scrappy game. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on two things from watching the game at the Not So Sunny Coast Stadium. Firstly, what is your opinion on the rule change of being able to call The Mark from a kick off and what is the reason for the change? Secondly, your thoughts on the lack of action for the high tackle on the SA fullback. I understand the TMO ruled that he had fallen into the tackle and the tackler didn’t have time to adjust but it was clearly shoulder on head and the Aussie 11 had not made any attempt to adjust his tackle height leading into the tackle. In my opinion he was never going to get his tackle technique correct to complete a safe tackle. If that tackle was made at a more senior and more scrutinised level would we have seen the same result?
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