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Eddie Jones 'not comfortable' with results but backs World Cup strategy
Eddie Jones says his mum Nellie anxiously texted him last year after a run of poor results as England coach, asking him if he was going to get the sack.
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One can only imagine how she’s feeling now.
Jones has presided over the Wallabies’ poorest World Cup campaign in history, with the side bombing out before the quarter-finals for the first time.
Jones says Nellie, in her late 90s, no longer texted him but her message is still clear.
“She says ‘just win: winning fixes everything’. And I think it does,” Jones said.
With two wins from four World Cup matches – the only two in nine Tests since Jones began his second stint as Wallabies coach in January – Nellie has reason to worry.
Jones said through the tournament he was happy to be the “fall-guy” for their results with an independent review to be conducted into the Wallabies’ horror show.
“We came in with the understanding it’s a nine-month job, see what we could do and then everyone will sit down and have a look at what we’ve done, where we want to go and make a decision then what we need going forward,” Jones said.
“There will be some sort of Rugby Australia review in November so at the end of that will be the opportunity to start moving forward.
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“I’ve signed a contract and I will do the review and then it’s up to others to decide but I stand by the fact that I take full responsibility.
“I feel like I’ve given the team the opportunity to get better and, as I’ve repeatedly said, the results don’t show that but I think we are.”
Rugby World Cup
Pool A
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
4
4
0
0
18
2
New Zealand
4
3
1
0
15
3
Italy
4
2
2
0
10
4
Uruguay
4
1
3
0
5
5
Namibia
4
0
4
0
0
Pool B
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
4
4
0
0
19
2
South Africa
4
3
1
0
15
3
Scotland
4
2
2
0
10
4
Tonga
4
1
3
0
5
5
Romania
4
0
4
0
0
Pool C
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Wales
4
4
0
0
19
2
Fiji
4
2
2
0
11
3
Australia
4
2
2
0
11
4
Portugal
4
1
2
1
6
5
Georgia
4
0
3
1
3
Pool D
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England
4
4
0
0
18
2
Argentina
4
3
1
0
14
3
Japan
4
2
2
0
9
4
Samoa
4
1
3
0
7
5
Chile
4
0
4
0
0
Winning certainly would have helped infuriated Australian rugby fans accept Jones’s blinkered pursuit of youth, ruthlessly leaving out long-time skipper Michael Hooper and veteran playmaker Quade Cooper from the World Cup.
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While some changes were injury-enforced, he has used six captains for the year, leaving the team bereft of proper leadership.
He also recruited a rag-bag of assistant coaches, with two from the NRL and two from the AFL among the bulging brigade in France.
Further upsetting even the staunchest of gold supporters, Jones was forced to deny he had interviewed for the Japan coaching vacancy just days out from the tournament opener.
While he has given his word to Rugby Australia that he wasn’t pursuing the role, that story is still set to play out post-World Cup.
Call it arrogance or an unwavering belief in his bold plan, Jones insisted he had no regrets about his approach to the tournament.
“I don’t sit there thinking ‘s***, I wish I would have done that’,” he said.
“I am not comfortable with the results, but I am comfortable with the way we’ve gone about this campaign, if that makes sense.
“When I came in, I assessed the playing pool and said we needed to make a change and it was high risk.
“This team is going to be a good team. We’re not the finished product yet but if you look at the players … there’s eight or 10 players that have the potential to be really good Test players.
“Then you add in a few experienced players like Will (Skelton), Richie Arnold, a couple of hard guys like (Samu) Kerevi and you get those guys back to their best.
“With that group of people, that’s a team that can do really well.”
Regardless of the outcome of the review, Jones, who is on a five-year contract, is likely to keep his job given Rugby Australia’s precarious financial position.
While bitterly disappointed with what unfolded in France, RA chairman Hamish McLennan says they are playing the long game, with Jones’s overhaul set to yield results ahead of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour and 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Aged 63 and independently wealthy, Jones could have retired when he was sacked as England coach last December or waited for the job in Japan, where he remains highly regarded.
“I love coaching and I love the challenge,” he replied when asked about his motivation.
“And that’s the reason I came back to Australia because I wanted to make a difference and I apologise I haven’t made a difference.
“I was disappointed with how the Wallabies were going and I wanted to come back and make a change.
“I think I’ve started that process and where it goes, I don’t know, because I’m not in control of that.
“But I started that process and I think we’ve got a great bunch of young players here ready to take it on.”
Comments on RugbyPass
‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
7 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
7 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to comments