Watch: Eddie Jones blows up at journalist over 'smart-arse' question
Making no excuses for the Wallabies’ disastrous performance against South Africa, coach Eddie Jones has chided a local reporter following their Rugby Championship opener in Pretoria.
The Wallabies were outclassed in every facet at Loftus Versfeld and were lucky to only fall to a 43-12 defeat, which was their heaviest against the Springboks since 2008.
The match highlighted the work Jones has ahead before this year’s Rugby World Cup in France, where South Africa will defend their title.
The home side were without a number of their stars, with the Springboks sending a dozen players ahead to New Zealand to start preparation for next weekend’s clash with the All Blacks.
After the match, Jones took umbrage at a South African journalist’s question.
“Eddie, you expressed your disappointment in the week that you weren’t playing the first-choice Springboks side. Is that a bit of relief now?,” the reporter asked, prompting a lashing from the veteran coach.
< p>“South Africans are good at winning. You don’t have to be a smart-arse mate,” Jones said.
“We were well and truly beaten today by a Springboks side that old mate is calling the B-team, right? I never knew there was a Springboks side that was called the B-team.”
Jones confronted the journalist after the press conference, demanding more respect.
“You don’t have to be a smart-arse mate,” Jones said again.
“You should have more respect mate. I never said that mate. I said we always want to play the best. Show some respect.”
Test Rugby is tough. pic.twitter.com/qyymVMHalf
— Lunga ibn Kupiso (@Lunga_Kupiso) July 8, 2023
The Wallabies led early with star winger Marika Koroibete scoring but from that point were out-muscled by the physical Springboks.
Making more than double the amount of tackles, they were always on the back foot with the forwards unable to lay any kind of platform for five-eighth Quade Cooper to orchestrate the attack.
They resorted to repeatedly kicking away possession which kept them under the pump in defence and a 17-5 half-time scoreline blew out with the Wallabies also giving up two penalty tries.
“We were outplayed everywhere,” Jones said.
“The only positive was the first 20 minutes, where we tried to play with a bit of pace, we tried to shift turnover ball and we looked dangerous but we weren’t able to sustain that effort.
“We got beaten at the set-piece, got beaten at the gain-line, got beaten in the air.
“When you do not win any of those contests, it is going to be a long day at the office.”
The Australians only have a few days to turn around the loss, hosting Argentina on Saturday night in Sydney.
The Pumas, coached by ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, fell 41-12 to New Zealand in Mendoza to open their Rugby Championship campaign.
Jones said the Wallabies needed more consistency in their set piece and to find ways to get over the gain line.
“If we fix those issues we will be back in the money against Argentina,” Jones said.
Debutant Carter Gor don, who replaced fve-eighth Cooper after 68 minutes and scored a late try, looks a chance for a start against the Pumas.
“I thought Marika (Koroibete) was outstanding and Carter, coming on for his first Test in a difficult situation, showed he has a bright future,” Jones said.
Comments on RugbyPass
Think it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
1 Go to commentsJust came back from the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Players stayed afterwards for more than a hour to sign stuff and take photos with fans. Great day out.
5 Go to commentsA great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
5 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
5 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
5 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
235 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
90 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
20 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to comments