Embattled Wallabies coach Eddie Jones issued a grovelling apology after his team’s record World Cup loss to Wales and defiantly swatted away suggestions he was eyeing a move to Japan declaring he wants to make Australian rugby better.
After being slammed by World Cup winning All Black Sonny Bill Williams after reports Jones had interviewed for the Japanese job while in France with the Wallabies, Jones said “I don’t know what you‘re talking about” when peppered with questions after the 40-6 loss to Wales.
“I take umbrage to people questioning my commitment to the Australia job,” Jones said.
“I have committed to coach Australia.”
Wallabies captain David Porecki also denied the reports linking Jones to Japan were a factor in the loss which ensures Australia will fail to make it beyond the group stages of a World Cup for the first time, impacted the performance.
“No. I don‘t think many of the boys were aware of anything to be honest,” he said.
“We had a good week of prep, probably our best week of prep and we didn’t turn up tonight. It’s got nothing to do with the outside noise.”
With just one win in three World Cup matches, the Wallabies are destined to miss advancing to the quarter-finals for the first time ever increasing pressure on Jones who picked a rookie-filled squad which has failed to deliver on his the coach’s hopes and expectations.
The smashing by Wales left Jones with little to say other than accept responsibility.
“Firstly, I would just like to apologise to all the Australian supporters.
“Our performance was not up to the standard that was required. I apologise for that. I take full responsibility for it. We are disappointed, we have a young team in there very disappointed. They tried their hearts out but unfortunately at the moment we don‘t have consistency in our play to put pressure on teams like Wales. We do some good things and then fall away. It’s very disappointing.”
Despite the worst World Cup result ever for an Australian team Jones, who has now won just one of eight Tests in 2023 and has been linked to the Japan job more than once, said he remained “100 per cent” committed to Australian rugby.
“I came back to Australia trying to help. At the moment I am not giving much help, am I? But that doesn‘t mean my commitment to helping has changed,” he said.
“I am a proud Australian, I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we have been doing, particularly under my reign.
“It‘s not only the Wallabies we have got to improve, we’ve got to treat the whole system of Australian rugby. It’s not an excuse but we’ve got to have a really good look at ourselves and see what we’ve got to do to improve.”
Jones also said believed he was the right person to take Australia forward despite the performances so far.
“I think I have got the ability to turn things around. I was hoping we would be able to do it by now but we haven‘t been able to,” he said.
“I take full responsibility, I haven‘t done a good enough job and I am bloody disappointed about that.”
The Wallabies squad was bereft of World Cup experience after Jones took a broom through the squad leaving out seasoned players including former captain Michael Hooper and playmaker Quade Cooper.
But he didn’t waver from his belief it was the right thing to do.
“I was put in this job to turn Australia around. I don‘t think I could have done it with the players that had been playing. I think we needed a fresh change,” he said.
“Sure, young guys struggled in the environment today but unless they get that experience they are not going to mature into the players they can be. This is the most painful time, don‘t get me wrong, but it’s also the best learning time for young players. This is where they really learn about the game and learn what you need for test level.
“There is not a team I have coached that hasn’t been through this at the start of their tenure.”
“A process unfortunately takes times, takes some pain. Sometimes it takes more pain than it does pleasure, I have no doubt what I set out to do. While it looks at the moment like it‘s a shambles, I can guarantee it’s not.
“There‘s a core group of player who are going to be really good. Some of those players, in time they are going to be world class. They are going to be the backbone of a very successful Australian team. I’ve got no doubt about that.”
The Wallabies have one World Cup match left against Portugal.