Wallabies coach Eddie Jones hinted to Manly juniors six months ago he’d leave after Rugby World Cup

While speculation around the future of Eddie Jones continues, it can be revealed the Wallabies coach told young rugby players six months ago that he’d walk away after the World Cup.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones at Manly Savers Rugby Club in April when he first floated idea of leaving after the World Cup.

It was a cool evening in North Curl Curl on April 5 when Eddie Jones first suggested he wouldn’t be Wallabies coach beyond this World Cup.

A couple of months into the job, Jones held a coaching clinic for young players at the Manly Savers club at Denzil Joyce Oval and asked the gathered group and their parents: “Anybody have any idea who I should pick for the World Cup because I’ve got no idea?”

One of those gathered at the clinic told us: “Someone mentioned Michael Hooper, obviously because he’s a local hero up here.

“Then Eddie says to us: ‘Yeah, I’ve got some decisions to make, I’ve got to select a team through to the World Cup, and then that’s it, I’m moving on’.

“The bloke next to me turned and said, ‘Did he just say he’s leaving after the World Cup? I thought he had a contract.’ I thought he did, too, so we weren’t sure if he was joking around.”

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones ran a clinic at Manly Savers Rugby Club in April when he first floated idea of leaving after the World Cup.

The following month, Jones told the Evening Standard rugby podcast in England: “I’m only coaching until this World Cup.”

So when Jones, who is contracted with Rugby Australia until the end of 2027, stood in front of a huge press pack at Coogee Oval on Tuesday morning and denied he had been in talks with Japan about becoming its coach next year, the scepticism was palpable.

Has he been speaking to Japan?

“I haven’t been speaking to anyone, mate,” Jones said.

Has he spoken to JRFU president, and his friend of 27 years, Masato Tsuchida?

“Not for a long time.”

Has he spoken to any third party acting for the JRFU, such as a recruitment firm?

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Is he committed to seeing out his contract to the end?

“That’s not absolutely my decision, is it? We’ve got a review and we’ll see what happens at the end of the review.”

Jones, and RA, have a massive credibility problem.

Few believe him anymore.

He sounded like a coach waiting to be sacked so he could get a payout and later tell us all he intended to stay in Australia but had no choice but to join Japan when RA terminated his deal.

“As you know, we play a game where the coach doesn’t decide how long they stay,” Jones said.

It speaks to the disarray of the organisation that the entire RA board, including chairman Hamish McLennan and chief executive Phil Waugh, are still overseas in France.

And none have publicly said since the Wallabies were eliminated from the World Cup if they believe Jones’s statements that he is not in line for the Japan job.

Waugh is expected to return to Australia next week, while McLennan’s travel plans are unknown.

If RA sacks Jones, it will have to pay out a significant amount of money to him.

He’s on a $5 million deal and it’s understood no clauses in his contract state that if he speaks to another national team while employed by RA it will be a breach and trigger termination.

Eddie Jones, and Rugby Australia, have a massive credibility problem, writes Jamie Pandaram. Picture: Richard Dobson.

An independent review of the failed World Cup campaign, in which the Wallabies were eliminated in the pool stages for the first time in history, will commence early next month.

It is understood Jones, Tony Brown and Frans Ludeke are on a three-man shortlist to take over as coach of Japan from Jamie Joseph. An announcement is likely late next month.

Already, most of Jones’s assistant coaches at the World Cup are out.

Scrum coach Dan Palmer is joining Leicester, attack coach Jason Ryles is returning to the NRL with Melbourne Storm, assistant Pierre-Henry Broncan is being linked to French clubs, while the deals of Brett Hodgson and Berrick Barnes expired after the World Cup exit.

The RFU sacked Jones as England coach last November, at which point McLennan pounced with his five-year offer. He sacked Dave Rennie as Wallabies coach after he had already held his first World Cup camp of the year in January.

Asked if he regretted returning to Australia, Jones said: “No, not at all. The only thing I regret is probably telling the press to give themselves an uppercut.”

Jones was asked if he was staying or going.

“Staying mate,’’ he said. “I’ve always been committed to Australian rugby. I want to leave it in a better place and that’s still the job.

Did he understand that Wallabies supporters now struggled to have faith in what he said?

“I can’t give you an answer for that mate,” he said. “All I can do is stand here and tell you what I’m saying.”

Originally published as Wallabies coach Eddie Jones hinted to Manly juniors six months ago he’d leave after Rugby World Cup