1
{{item.n}}
Eddie Jones takes issue with questions over his commitment to Wallabies
By AAP
A defiant Eddie Jones plans to fight for survival, insisting he’s 100 per cent committed to turning the Wallabies around despite their woeful World Cup in France.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jones is under fire with his team set to bow out at the World Cup pool stage for the first time while he side-stepped questions about being interviewed for the Japan coaching job on the eve of the tournament.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said when quizzed on a report of Japan job talks after the Wallabies’ record 40-6 loss to Wales.
Jones bristled at continued questioning and threatened to walk out of the post-match press conference.
“I really take umbrage at people questioning my commitment as Australia coach,” he said.
“I’ve been working non-stop since I’ve come in and apologise for the results. But to question my commitment to the job I think is a bit red hot.”
Rugby Australia (RA) boss Phil Waugh earlier said he accepted Jones’s word, and would be “disappointed” if he found out the veteran coach planned to walk away less than a year into his five-year contract.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’m taking Eddie’s (word) for what he said and the fact is that he’s denied it … if he has (had job talks) then that’s something that we’ll deal with at the time that becomes evident,” Waugh said.
“We’re committed to Eddie. We have seen what he’s done historically with international teams.
“We were excited to have Eddie nine months ago and we still believe in what he will drive through culture and team performance.”
RA ruthlessly sacked Dave Rennie in January and brought in Jones, 20 years after he led Australia to the 2003 tournament final, however they’ve only won once in his eight Tests.
Jones overhauled the team in favour of youth, which left them exposed at the World Cup but he defended his selections.
ADVERTISEMENT
The veteran coach said he was still the right man for the job.
“I remain committed to the Australia project,” Jones said.
“I still believe I am the person to turn things around – I was put in this job to turn Australia around and I don’t think I could have done it with the players we had.
“This is the most painful time but also the best time to learn for young players.
“I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we’ve been doing, particularly under my reign.
“There’s not only the Wallabies we’ve got to try and improve, we’ve got to improve the whole system of Australian rugby.”
The Wallabies were left devastated by their World Cup showing but remained united behind their coach.
They said they didn’t discuss the Japan report before the Wales match.
“Eddie’s our coach, what he’s done with the team already has been awesome,” said prop Angus Bell.
“So we’ve built but tonight’s performance wasn’t good enough and that’s on the players, that’s on us.”
Lock Richie Arnold said they had belief in their coach.
“There was nothing to address. Eddie’s committed to us, we’re committed to Eddie. So there was nothing to address mate, we were just focused on the match,” Arnold added.
