Eddie Jones rants at reporters in 'worst ever' press conference
Eddie Jones is reportedly set to quit Australia after some of his trusted allies were axed in the aftermath of the team’s disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign. Australia lost to Wales and Fiji at the tournament and were dumped out at the pool stages after failing to finish in the top two.
Jones returned to coach Australia for a second time in January, just six weeks after he had been sacked by England. The 63-year-old had previously overseen Australia between 2001 and 2005 and led them to the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, where they lost to England.
But his second spell with the Wallabies has been a miserable one, with the team written off ahead of the Rugby World Cup following a dismal run of form. And Jones wasn’t able to find the solutions he was looking for in France as Australia were lacklustre during their matches before heading home.
According to the Herald Sun, a number of Wallabies staff have been let go by Rugby Australia, including highly-respected team manager Chris Webb. Assistant coaches Jason Ryles, Brett Hodgson, Dan Palmer, Neil Hatley, Pierre-Henry Broncan and Berrick Barnes have all departed.
The exodus has been part of a “clean-out”, with talk emerging from inside the Wallabies camp that Jones is done as a coach.
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The departing staff were only contracted to Australia until the end of the Rugby World Cup. But the fact that many of them, including psychologists, were brought in by Jones suggests that rugby chiefs in the Southern Hemisphere country have lost faith with their head coach.
Jones’ contract with Australia is said to be worth around £2.35million. And it includes a clause that would pave the way for his exit if Rugby Australia fail to secure private investment funding and a centralised model. Both those aims are yet to be achieved. Rugby Australia also have clauses in their favour which would allow them to dismiss Jones and not have to pay out his full term.
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Jones hit the headlines during the Rugby World Cup after rumours circulated that suggested he had been interviewed just before the tournament started for a role as Japan’s head coach.
Jones refuted those claims and later told reporters: “At the end of the World Cup there’ll be a review and given the results we’ve had then maybe Australian Rugby doesn’t want to keep me. That’s the reality of the job I live in and I understand that.”
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