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'The tears kept rolling down my face': Eddie Jones opens up about Wallabies sacking and his greatest regret
Eddie Jones has revealed the moment in his career which left him tears – the day he was sacked as the Wallabies head coach.
Jones is set to give exclusive insight into his rugby career in his autobiography ‘Eddie Jones: My Life and Rugby,’ which will be released later this month.
In an extract from the book, Jones opened up about the day he was told his contract with the Wallabies would be terminated following a poor run of results in 2005.
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Five days after the Wallabies suffered defeat in Cardiff, Jones was preparing for an end-of-season presentation to the Rugby Australia Board before he received a call from then-president Gary Flowers, who asked him to meet at the office.
“Everything changed as soon as I walked into Flowers’ office,” Jones wrote. “I respected the fact that he didn’t waste any time. He was sympathetic but very direct. They were terminating my contract.
“I heard him out and didn’t argue. I was not about to beg for another chance and so we shook hands. It was very civilised. But it happened so fast I was in shock.
“The first person I called was Pemby [Media consultant David Pembroke]. He was still in the air and his phone switched to voicemail. “Mate,” I said, “don’t worry about the plan. He’s just f***ing sacked me”.
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Jones calmly made it through the press conference the following afternoon, after being reminded of his success as a coach despite the year of heartbreak.
He said it was only after fronting the media when the tears came.
“The lift doors opened and we stepped inside. It was just the two of us as the doors closed again with a soft swish. We had just started to descend when the first tears fell.
“I shook my head as the tears kept rolling down my face. My mouth was crumpled into a little ball which I eventually managed to open.
“I wanted to tell Pemby how I felt. Finally, just before we reached the ground floor, I got the words out: “I’ll coach at this level again.”
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Staying true to those words, Jones went on to become England’s head coach in 2015 and was the mastermind behind the side that knocked the All Blacks out of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan last month.
Jones also revealed that his one regret in life was not leaving the Wallabies sooner and on his own terms.
Looking back, Jones said he should have stepped down after the 2003 Rugby World Cup – when the Wallabies lost the final at home 20-17 to England.
“It was a mistake to continue but, in retrospect, I understand how much I was struggling. I wanted to atone for that heartbreaking loss by winning the next tournament,” he wrote.
“This happens when you come close and fall just short. You carry the burden of defeat with you for the next few years. It might be buried deep inside you but it twists your thinking.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments