Australian rugby bosses have redoubled their commitment to retaining Eddie Jones as head coach despite their dismal World Cup campaign.
Jones recently signed a four-year contract and Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh insisted they wanted him to stay for the 2025 Lions tour and the 2027 World Cup.
The Wallabies will be knocked out of the group stages if Fiji secure a bonus point against Australia on Sunday, but Jones has been assured his job is safe regardless.
“We are committed to Eddie as part of the commitment we made to him earlier in the year and we will proceed to evaluate this campaign,” Waugh said.
“It was bitterly disappointing. We came here with a lot of hope and optimism. Everything is out of our control. There’s probably a lot of things in decline in Australian rugby for a while, so I think it’s the result of a period where we’re slipping further and further.
Eddie Jones won’t lose Wallabies job despite Australia’s dire World Cup campaign
The Wallabies are on the brink of a humiliating exit from the group stage in France
“I’ve been pretty frank about the fact that we’re committed to Eddie and he probably watches the campaign and is bitterly disappointed with his performance and that of the Wallabies. It’s a pretty tough world to be a coach and I can tell. understand. Eddie has made his commitment known to me. I’m not going to find out where the conversations are taking place. I take Eddie’s word for it and he told us it had nothing to do with it.
Jones was the target of widespread boos throughout the World Cup.
When asked how he felt, the head coach said the televised game official created too many breaks in the game for frustrated spectators.
“It’s very important to boo now,” Jones said. “At least they know who I am, I guess.” Rugby is a game based on values and fair play is one of them. But I think the way we officiate the game or the way the game is officiated causes crowd problems.
But Rugby Australia chief Phil Waugh is backing Jones to develop the national team.
“We have so many stoppages in play now – we have a TMO for everything. I firmly believe we are destroying the flow of the game. We need to make the referee the sole judge of the game, and if there is anything something that is an obvious red card, it’s foul play, so we’re coming back to that.
“We have to keep the game moving, and I think part of that is that the crowd is very unhappy with the way the game is going. Our game is not a scientific game. It’s not like cycling or racing. Rowing is a human game based on the fight for the ball and in which we have a certain number of problems in each situation.
“I’ve said it before and it fell on deaf ears, but I will continue because we have to take care of the game.”
