Rugby World Cup: Eddie Jones explodes at media after assistant coach Brad Davis quits Wallabies

Eddie Jones has fired a broadside at media before leaving for the Rugby World Cup, hitting out at “negative” coverage of the Wallabies. Watch the tense moment here.

The Wallabies huddle at a pre-World Cup training session in Sydney. Picture: Getty Images

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones lashed the “negativity” around his World Cup squad in an extraordinary press conference as they left for France, while declaring there was a chance for his staff to “improve” after assistant Brad Davis‘s shock decision to quit this week.

Speaking at the airport as the squad flew out on Thursday, Jones addressed the sudden departure of his attack coach, who was only appointed in May and said Davis had left for “family reasons”.

But Jones then went on the attack amid questioning about the selection process and the fact he has yet to speak to axed veteran Quade Cooper.

Jones, who has taken charge of the Wallabies for a second time and is adamant his team which is winlessin four Tests this year, bristled at the backward-thinking he believes has held Australian rugby back.

He said the fact “no-one” thinks the Wallabies can win was only hardening the playing and coaching group to prove all the doubters wrong.

“I can’t believe the level of negativity. You’re so bloody negative about everything,” he told the assembled media pack.

“We’re going off to a World Cup you think we can’t win. You think the selection process is bad because the players complained. We’ll go out there and do our best boys. If you haven’t got anything positive to say, don’t ask.

“I know you blokes think we can’t do any good, so don’t ask any questions. Just be the pessimists you are. Keep Australian rugby where it’s been.

“Complain about players that don’t get selected, keep doing that. I love this negativity, love it, love it. Just tell us we are terrible and we’ll prove you wrong.”

Jones gave the media scrum one final quote before heading towards the departure gate.

“Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby,” he muttered.

“Well done boys, that is the worst I’ve ever seen.

“Forget it, boys. You ought to give yourselves uppercuts, boys.”

Eddie Jones speaks to media in Sydney. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

Jones confirmed Cooper, who was left out of the World Cup squad despite being a part of the group which lost back-to-back clashes against the All Blacks amid four losses in the Rugby Championship, hadn’t returned his calls after his non-selection.

Former captain Michael Hooper was also left out as he battles a calf issue.

But Jones dismissed the overlooked players as an issue and said it was time to focus on who was playing

“If the players are unhappy about the selection process so be it,” he said.

“We’re moving on to a new young squad who are going to take Australian rugby forward. What we’ve had here over the lats eight years hasn’t been good enough. I’m disappointed for players but all I can do is ring them.

“If they don’t take the phone call, you can’t talk to them. What do you want me to do?

Despite the tumult, Jones said he was “more confident” of World Cup success.

“I think we have the right squad, we have the right balance of energy and enthusiasm, we have youth on our side, we’re ready to go,” he said.

“I’m much more confident.”

Jones said the matter with Davis came to a head earlier this week and while he didn’t name a replacement, he gave the departing assistant who could join the Queensland Reds amid reports of dissatisfaction with the Wallabies, a subtle clip for walking out on the team.

“There’s an opportunity for us and I think we’ll improve our coaching staff,” Jones said at the airport.

“We had a discussion a couple of nights ago.

“There’s a potential candidate ready to step up now. As I said, I think we’ll improve the coaching staff.”

The Wallabies lost all four games in the Rugby Championship, including back-to-back defeats by New Zealand.

A World Cup warm-up match is scheduled against France this weekend, the last chance to get a victory before the tournament begins in September.

EARLIER: WALLABIES WORLD CUP ROCKED AS COACH QUITS

Australia’s Rugby World Cup campaign has been rocked on the eve of the Wallabies departure with assistant coach Brad Davis quitting just days before the team was due to leave for France.

Rugby Australia officials confirmed Davis would not join the team when they depart for Paris, with coach Eddie Jones citing “family reasons” for the shock coaching move when confronted at Sydney airport as they team flew out for the World Cup campaign.

“There’s an opportunity for us. And I think we’ll improve our coaching staff,” Jones told The Roar.

“We had a discussion a couple of nights ago.

“There’s a potential candidate ready to step up now. As I said, I think we’ll improve the coaching staff.”

Davis was appointed by Jones as attack coach in May.

The Wallabies have not won any games under new coach Jones since he replaced the sacked Dave Rennie.

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Eddie Jones explodes at media after assistant coach Brad Davis quits Wallabies