Quade Cooper: Japanese players ‘knew’ about Eddie Jones’ reported meeting
Veteran Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper has revealed that “a lot” of Japanese players knew Eddie Jones had apparently ‘interviewed’ with the JRFU well before it was made public in a report during the Rugby World Cup.
Just before Australia’s record 40-6 World Cup defeat to Wales in Lyon, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Wallabies coach Eddie Jones had met with Japan over their head coach role.
The phrase “I don’t know what you’re talking about, mate” almost became synonymous with coach Jones as the 63-year-old continued to deny the link for the weeks and months that followed.
But after resigning as the Wallabies’ head coach after their disastrous pool stage exit at the sport’s showpiece event, coach Jones was unveiled as Japan’s new head coach on Wednesday.
“I didn’t do an interview before the World Cup,” Jones said at a press conference.
“I was asked by the recruitment agency to share my experiences with them. The first interview I had with Japan was in December and that’s the only interview I’ve had.”
While not everyone was convinced by Jones’ version of events – with two-time Rugby World Cup-winning All Black Sonny Bill Williams slamming Jones – it seemed the bizarre saga had come to an end.
But a fresh development from dropped Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper has thrown another spanner into the works.
“It was interesting because a lot of the Japanese players here said, ‘Oh, this is quite old.’ They all knew about it,” Cooper told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“They were like, ‘You guys didn’t know about it?’ We were like, ‘Nah, this is crazy, we’re just hearing about it.’
“It was only a few weeks earlier that I was in Wallabies camo. Some of the things asked from a commitment standpoint… that raised a lot of questions.”
Jones had signed on for five years with Rugby Australia and planned to take the Wallabies to two Rugby World Cups, and to guide them against the British and Irish Lions in 2025 as well.
It seemed for quite some time that ‘Eddie’ would be the saviour that the sport so desperately needed Down Under but that wasn’t the case in the end.
The Wallabies won two from nine Test matches under coach Jones in 2023, and of course bundled out of the Rugby World Cup in the pool stage for the first time ever.
“Eddie lacked significant expertise. As players, we tried to buy into what he was preaching, as not doing so would paint us as a detriment,” Cooper said.
“However, common sense was hard to ignore, and it was remarkable that Rugby Australia couldn’t see it.
“For instance, Jason Ryles, a rugby league prop, served as an attack coach for the Wallabies at a World Cup. How much did he truly know about rugby attack? That encapsulated the situation.
“Many rugby coaches could have excelled in that role and I really feel for those guys who were overlooked, especially those who have sacrificed so much just to be dismissed for a rugby league prop.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Crusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to comments