Eddie Jones dismisses rumors of Japan discussions – Wallabies coaching future remains unclear

Wallabies Coach Eddie Jones Denies Talks with Japan

By Billie Eder

Updated October 17, 2023 — 10.51am

First Published at 8.04am

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has emphatically denied reports that he is set to take up a position with Japan. Despite rumors and speculation, Jones has doubled down on his decision to prioritize youth over experience for this year’s Rugby World Cup. Speaking to the media in Sydney, Jones denied any discussions with Japanese rugby, stating, “I haven’t been speaking to anyone, mate.”

When asked about his future as Wallabies coach, Jones expressed his commitment to Australian rugby, but also acknowledged that the final decision doesn’t solely lie with him. He stated, “I’m staying mate. I’ve always been committed to Australian rugby, I want to leave it in a better place, and that’s still the job. It’s not absolutely my decision. We’ve got a review going forward, and we’ll see what happens at the end of the review.”

Despite the Wallabies‘ disappointing performance in the World Cup, with consecutive losses to Fiji and Wales, Jones defended his decision to select an inexperienced team. He explained, “I went to the World Cup, came in [with] a short period of time, had to make a decision on the team, made a decision we needed to go with youth. And whilst the results at the World Cup weren’t the results we wanted, I think I’ve left the Australian team in a great position to go on to 2027. That judgment will be decided by the 2027 World Cup.”

Reflecting on the Wallabies‘ results in France, Jones admitted that the team fell short. He stated, “We just weren’t good enough, mate. You’ve just got to watch the quarter-finals on the weekend. We’re not at that level, and we can’t pretend to be at that level, but can we be at that level by 2027? Yes, we can.”

Despite the criticism and scrutiny he has faced since his team selection in August, Jones affirmed his desire to continue coaching for Australia. He expressed his love for the game and working with young players, recognizing that some will struggle as part of their development. Jones stated, “I love the game, I love working with young players, I love seeing some of the young players maturing during the World Cup, and some of them [will] struggle, and that’s all part of it.”

An independent review will now be conducted into the Wallabies‘ World Cup campaign, analyzing factors such as team preparation and resource utilization. When asked if he would consider resigning if the team doesn’t show improvement, Jones accepted the challenges that come with the coaching role. He said, “We get judged by our results, mate. I chose to be the coach. We know we get judged by our results… all I can do is coach as well as I can. There are other people who make those judgments [on whether he’ll be the coach], not me.”

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Eddie Jones and the Wallabies, but the upcoming review and subsequent decisions will undoubtedly shape the path forward for Australian rugby.

This article was originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald.