Wallabies' shock move to 'weaponise' Jones

1 year ago 93

Rugby Australia is said to beryllium considering the daze signing of its erstwhile Wallabies manager Eddie Jones successful the aftermath of his axing by England.

Australia could soon spot Jones connected location ungraded acknowledgment to the lack of a non-compete clause successful his erstwhile role.

A instrumentality to the Wallabies would people the archetypal clip since 2005 that the seasoned has been portion of the Rugby Australia fold.

Watch the 2022-23 English Premiership Rugby play connected the location of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming ad-free, unrecorded and connected demand

Despite holding 1 of the champion records of immoderate England person to date, Jones was sacked by the Rugby Football Union past week disconnected the backmost of an up-and-down campaign.

He thrice won the Six Nations, claimed 2 Triple Crowns, and 1 Grand Slam. He was World Rugby Coach of the Year successful 2017.

In the aftermath of his departure, Jones told the Sun Herald that thing was disconnected the array arsenic acold arsenic his coaching aboriginal was concerned.

He said helium would adjacent see NRL, though a bid by Rugby Australia to steer the Wallabies into the 2023 Rugby World Cup could beryllium much enticing.

Rugby Australia president Hamish McLennan told the Mail connected Sunday that helium is anxious to get Jones location up of the all-important tournament.

"Eddie is intelligibly a monolithic endowment and campaigner successful World Cups," said McLennan.

"We've got Dave Rennie [Wallabies caput coach] successful spot but we request to deliberation however we tin weaponise these caller events for Australia if Eddie wants to travel home."

Exactly what relation helium mightiness play remains to beryllium seen, and nary denotation has been fixed yet arsenic to whether his signing would beryllium astatine the disbursal of the incumbent Wallabies coach.

All Blacks large Murray Mexted said Rugby Australia shouldn't region Rennie truthful adjacent to the World Cup.

McLennan said helium believed Jones' instrumentality to the Wallabies coaching roster would beryllium good received by the public.

"I'm amazed this has happened," McLennan said of Jones' axing.

"Is Australia acceptable for Eddie? He is the prodigal coaching son. For the astir part, radical emotion him."

Watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup connected the location of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming ad-free, unrecorded and connected demand

Incumbent skipper Owen Farrell labelled Jones' sacking "unbelievably disappointing" and said the players had not pushed him out.

"Eddie had been a large portion of England Rugby for a agelong clip present and helium has been 1 of the champion coaches I person ever had so, for that, I'm massively thankful," Farrell told the BBC.

"We are disappointed it has finished aboriginal and we beryllium a batch to him. I person been astir for a portion present and not been astir excessively galore changes, some astatine nine and planetary level. It's not pleasant to spell through.

"I don't deliberation it has travel from the players. There is evidently worldly we each privation to get amended astatine from the results but arsenic players you look astatine yourself and spot what you tin do."

Jones took the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup last wherever they went down to England successful Australia.

He besides took England to the 2019 World Cup last wherever they mislaid to South Africa successful Japan.

Richard Cockerill has been named England's interim manager while attempts are made to poach Steve Borthwick from Premiership Rugby broadside the Leicester Tigers.

England's Rugby Football Union are besides eyeing Cockerill's offsiders, defence manager Kevin Sinfield arsenic good arsenic spot and conditioning manager Aled Walter, according to the Daily Telegraph.

However, those acquisitions travel with a hefty cost, totalling upwards of $3.6 cardinal for their release.

England's Six Nations run begins connected February 5 against Scotland.

Next year's World Cup successful France is little than 9 months distant and kicks disconnected with the big federation facing New Zealand connected September 9.

England's archetypal lucifer sees them look Argentina portion Australia volition look Georgia, some connected September 10.

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