Wallabies news: Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh defends Eddie Jones era of failure

Eddie Jones’ disastrous tenure as Wallabies coach is officially and now all eyes are on Rugby Australia - with RA boss Phil Waugh on Tuesday attempting to pick up the pieces.

Eddie Jones has quit as Wallabies coach. Picture: Monique Harmer/NCA Newswire

Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh is adamant his board has set the right course for the sport’s future despite the hugely disappointing World Cup campaign and the “sensible outcome” of parting ways with polarising coach Eddie Jones.

Waugh vowed to be “really open and transparent with any questions” raised in a media conference at RA headquarters at Moore Park on Tuesday afternoon but remained coy on Jones’s level of engagement with Japan as well as his severance, except to say that “rugby Australia has ended up in a very good situation financially through the separation”.

The former Wallabies captain rejected speculation of a player revolt if Jones had remained in the top job though.

“I can categorically say not that I was aware of,” Waugh said.

“I’ve been working closely with Eddie. Eddie’s put a lot into 2023 and into the campaign and the performances weren’t where they need to be (but) in terms of a player revolt, I definitely was not aware of any player unrest.

“And I think that as the CEO, as Australian supporters, as Australians, we’re disappointed with the performances and we need to move forward from that.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh has played down talk of a player ‘revolt’. Picture: Getty

In wide-ranging comments, Waugh conceded the Wallabies’ performances in France were “clearly very disappointing” and acknowledged that the board that he was then a part of, had to take responsibility for sacking Dave Rennie and deciding to appoint Jones ahead of the World Cup.

“Ultimately, the board’s responsible for those decisions and there’s no hiding from that,” Waugh said.

“It’s speculation or hypothetical, where would we have been had we not had made that call and had Dave (Rennie) stayed on - we’ll never know.

“But clearly the performances of the team and the results that that we delivered weren’t up to the expectation of anyone and clearly the lowest that we’ve, had in a World Cup.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think that when you make decisions at any time, during your career, you get presented information at the time and you make decisions based on that information.

“It may have been different, it may not have been different. It’s a decision that we have to live with and it’s a disappointing result.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh was grilled about the Jones saga and the World Cup debacle on Tuesday. Picture: Getty

But he would not commit to consequences for those decisions at a leadership level.

“We’re ultimately responsible. I think there’s the governance framework around Australian rugby that provides for that is that slipped our stakeholders and our members would like,” he said of the structures in place for people being forced out.

In terms of leaders taking responsibility for the decisions that led to the fiasco of the past 12 months - don’t hold your breath.

“Certainly, the performances on the back of the decisions that were made were not what any of us had anticipated,” he said.

“As CEO, it’s not my place to comment on (whether people should decide to walk). What I will say is that the administrators and the board as disappointed with the performances and the outcome as everyone else. It’s been really disappointing and we are responsible.”

Jones won just two games in his second stint as Wallabies coach. Picture: Getty

But Waugh doubled down on RA’s way forward, the centralisation model - the pace of which Jones criticised - the organisation’s decision to opt for debt over private equity until after the 2025 Lions Tour and 2027 World Cup, and the health of the sport at grassroots level, the women’s program and Sevens high performance.

One swallow - a historic win over world No.3 France at the inaugural WXV competition in New Zealand at the weekend - does not make a summer for the women, who continue to rebuild their program after a serious lack of attention over the past three years, while many would dispute how robust the overall health of the sport is.

The Jones experiment over, RA will not rush a decision on a new coach, with Waugh saying the most important thing was to get the choice right.

Waugh said Australia won’t rush in to replacing Jones, as they embark on a lengthy search. Picture: AFP

He wouldn’t rule out another Kiwi - or any other foreign mentor taking on the job either, saying RA just wanted the best person for the job.

“The most important aspect is getting the right coach - so however long that takes,” he said.

“That may be quick, it may take some time but the most important element is getting the right coach.

“Historically, I think that we’ve made decisions quickly. And the most important aspect is to make the right decision.

“I think it’s a really attractive role and I think that top coaches around the world will be attracted to it given the Lions (series in 2025) and home World Cup (in 2027).”

ALL OVER: EDDIE WALKS OUT ON WALLABIES

It’s official: Eddie Jones is walking out on the Wallabies.

Rugby Australia on Tuesday confirmed the news that most rugby fans accepted weeks ago, declaring it had accepted the resignation of the embattled coach after a disastrous 10-month tenure.

“Rugby Australia thanks Eddie for his commitment to the Wallabies in 2023, and wishes him the best in his future endeavours,” the statement read.

Jones will officially depart the position at the end of November.

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh will face the music later on Tuesday when he fronts a press conference to discuss Jones’ exit, and is expected to be grilled on the shambolic state the game finds itself in.

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh will front the media later on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images

Jones, on Monday, pointed the finger at Rugby Australia – and its financial limitations – for his decision to quit.

“I did want to go on but coaching a team is a bit like being in a marriage, you need commitment from both sides,” Jones told Nine News.

“I was committed to change the team but Rugby Australia at the moment can’t activate the resources which are both financial and political to get the change in place to make real change for Australian rugby.

“I don’t like to be in projects I don’t think that can really get to where they need to get to. And I’ve made that decision, I don’t think that’s the case. Rugby Australia probably doesn’t think that and that’s where the unity of our project is not in a place it needs to be mate.”

Eddie Jones pointed the finger at Rugby Australia for his decision to quit. Picture: Monique Harmer/NCA Newswire

During his time at the helm of the Wallabies in 2023, Australia won just two games – against Portugal and Georgia – and suffered a humiliating group stage exit from the recent World Cup in France.

It is understood Jones is firmly in the mix to link up with Japan, though he has remained steadfast in his denial that such a deal is in place.

Having moved on from Jones, Australia now faces one of the most important decisions in its history: recruiting a coach who can rebuild a broken code.

A handful of names have been identified already, notably former Wallabies assistants Stephen Larkham and Dan McKellar, as Rugby Australia announced ‘the future of the Wallabies coach staff will be made in due course’.

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Originally published as Wallabies news: Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh defends Eddie Jones era of failure