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Rugby Australia confirm Dave Rennie sacked as Eddie Jones returns

By Ben Smith
(Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Rugby Australia have confirmed to the Sydney Morning Herald that Dave Rennie has been sacked as head coach of the Wallabies, effective immediately, after multiple media reports surfaced with the news.

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The bombshell news dropped on Monday morning will see Rugby Australia part ways with former Chiefs coach Rennie after three years in the job since taking the reins following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

In an incredible twist of fate, recently sacked England head coach Eddie Jones has been handed a five-year deal to take the side through the next two World Cups until 2027.

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Jones will return for his second stint as Wallabies head coach, his first being from 2001 to 2005 which featured a World Cup final appearance in 2003.

He will have just eight months to prepare for the tournament in France when he takes over the role officially on January 28 and will oversee the 2023 World Cup campaign, a Lions series in 2025 and potentially another home World Cup in 2027 should he still be head coach.

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Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan told Sydney Morning Herald’s journalist Tom Decent that Jones’ signature was a ‘major coup’ who will bring ‘deep’ knowledge of playing the game the Australian way back to the Wallabies.

Rugby Australia’s official statement thanked Rennie for his service while expressing excitement to have Jones back in Australia.

As for Rennie, the 59-year-old Kiwi will finish with a 38 per cent win record in charge of the Wallabies with 13 wins, three draws and 18 losses.

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Nickers 6 hours ago
All Blacks sabbaticals ‘damage Super Rugby Pacific when it is fighting for survival’

Sabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.

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FEATURE All Blacks sabbaticals ‘damage Super Rugby Pacific when it is fighting for survival’ All Blacks sabbaticals ‘damage Super Rugby Pacific when it is fighting for survival’
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