Crash: Australian Rugby’s private crisis talks discussing future coach options suggests relationship with Eddie Jones irretrievable

The relationship between Australian rugby and Eddie Jones appears to have approached the point of no return. So who do the Wallabies turn to next?

Australia's head coach Eddie Jones. Picture: SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

The celebrated history of coaching catastrophes tells us there is normally one sure way of telling when a relationship between a coach and his country has approached the point of no return.

It’s when the big boys in power unofficially start talking about potential replacements even before the maligned mentor has left the building.

This is what the shambolic appointment of Australian rugby union coach Eddie Jones has come to.

Late last week the game’s governing body started talking behind the scenes about who could potentially replace him and who might conduct the search. All informal of course. But intense, relevant talks all the same.

The relationship between Australian rugby and Eddie Jones seems to have gone past the point of no return. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

You cannot blame them. It was as if Australian rugby officials had been to one of those marriage counsellors who says “when you think it’s going … it’s actually gone.’’

Jones, who has been tipped to accept the position as head coach of Japan despite being contracted to Australia for another four years, isn’t gone yet but the damage is done. The wounds are deep and can never heal.

Australia feels betrayed, embarrassed and humiliated, as much by Jones’ dalliance with Japan as our nations sorrowful World Cup effort.

Jones may walk. They may sack him. Senior Australian rugby officials will meet with him over the weekend and his future could hinge on what exit contract clauses he (and his assistant coaches) have for the remaining four years of his deal.

Nothing is certain except for that fact that if he does stay on what player-sponsor-board member-fan could possibly feel comfortable with the decision and the future?

Rugby Australia’s board feels no loyalty to Jones because the push to sign him was essentially a “captain’s pick’’ from their chairman Hamish McLennan whose future is now uncertain due to this unprecedented mess.

Jones has arrived back home saying he is “committed to Australian rugby’’ and is not in for the Japan job but if senior Australian officials swallowed this line they wouldn’t be talking about who is next in line.

Eddie Jones was seen as a ‘captain's pick’ by Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan. Picture: Tim Hunter.

For all his denials, Jones has been caught having a fling with a rival nation just as he was completing his honeymoon following his rushed marriage to Australia.

As for replacements, Steve Larkham’s name was near the top of the list for a number of reasons, not the least being his soothing, solid demeanour and status as one of the most underrated fly-halves to have played the game.

In some ways he would be like the calming rainbow appearing after a super cyclone ripped the roof off the clubhouse.

Larkham is older than you think – 50 next birthday – but his smooth way a total contrast to that of Unsteady Eddie, so erratic in recent times he’s made Donald Trump look like your local librarian.

ACT Brumbies coach and Wallabies Legend Stephen Larkham is a smooth operator who could be a candidate.

As a player Larkham had a reputation for being quiet, thoughtful but would stand up for what he believed in.

The trade-off, of course, is that the whackier Jones behaved the more headlines he drew to a sport which needed them.

But it was a junk food fix. Eventually rugby needed the meat and potatoes of solid Test victories and Australia just couldn’t manage them.

How did it comes to this?

One Jones supporter says it was not until Jones was back in the system that he realised what a fragile, vulnerable state Australian rugby was really in. It simply overwhelmed him.

For all of his electric energy, at age 63 he simply underestimated the strain of the job.

Jones joined the Wallabies straight out of another high pressure role with England without any chance to refresh and take the break that a lot of coach’s think they don’t need but actually do.

Greg Chappell once said that after coaching the Indian cricket team it took him two years to recover from the physical and mental fatigue.

Jones never had the break and the chastening news is that for all the indignity he suffered during Australia’s failed World Cup campaign his most humbling days may yet be ahead.

Originally published as Crash: Australian Rugby’s private crisis talks discussing future coach options suggests relationship with Eddie Jones irretrievable