Eddie Jones reportedly steps down from Wallabies role

After weeks of speculation, Eddie Jones’ catastrophic second stint in charge of the Wallabies has reportedly come to an end.

Eddie Jones has reportedly stepped down as Wallabies coach. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Monique Harmer

Eddie Jones’ catastrophic time in charge of the Wallabies has reportedly come to an end.

The 63-year-old was appointed just months out from the Rugby World Cup with the direction to turn around the flagging fortunes of the national side.

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Picking an entirely experimental team for the tournament, Jones’ young Wallabies crashed out in the group stage for the first time.

Despite repeatedly stating he was in the fight for the long haul and was building towards the 2027 World Cup, to be held in Australia, Jones has now stepped down, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Eddie Jones has reportedly stepped down as Wallabies coach. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Monique Harmer

Jones was a surprise replacement for Dave Rennie with Australian rugby just months out of this year’s World Cup.

But it was doomed from the start, losing a series of Test matches before the tournament and ending his terrible stint with two wins from nine matches.

Linked with a return to Japanese rugby just before the World Cup began, Jones vehemently and repeatedly denied any knowledge of that rumour.

Finally some good news for the Wallabies.

— polling enthusiast (@Elfvandel20) October 29, 2023

At a press conference 12 days ago in Coogee, Jones again insisted “I haven’t been speaking to anyone mate” in response to those Japanese links.

He also said for the umpteenth time he wanted to coach Australia to the next World Cup.

“That’s the intention mate. But as you know we play in a game where the coach doesn’t decide how long they stay,” he told reporters.

Then in a chat with ex-Wallaby Peter FitzSimons two days ago, Jones only stoked the bizarre nature of his time with the Wallabies when he stated he was heading to Japan next month - for a holiday with his wife.

It will shock absolutely no one if he is soon announced as the coach of the Brave Blossoms, which just like the Wallabies, would be his second stint.

He can only hope it will have a better finish than this absolute dumpster fire.

The Wallabies suffered their worst ever World Cup result in France. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Jones had coached the Wallabies to a World Cup final in his first stint, which ran from 2001 to 2005, losing the decider to England.

The Tasmanian then became a global coach for hire, enjoying time with South Africa, Japan and England in a number of roles.

He coached the English to his second World Cup final in 2019, but suffered the same fate he had back in 2003, this time against South Africa.

Jones returned to the Australian scene at a time when the sport is just about at its lowest ever ebb.

Jones’ infamous Sydney Airport press conference, where he told the media to give themselves an uppercut. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

Super Rugby results, crowds and ratings have all bottomed out and the Wallabies now need to pick up the pieces of a dismal World Cup, while former contemporaries South Africa and New Zealand just contested the final.

“We have the nucleus of a really good team,” Jones said earlier this month.

“We had the courage to go with a younger squad and I think this squad is going to stand Australia in good stead.”

It just seems now, after all the innuendo and denials, that so-called “courage” will need to be picked up by yet another head coach.