‘Give yourself uppercuts’: Jones hits back at media over squad questioning

Eddie Jones says dumped Wallaby Quade Cooper is not returning his phone calls and denied former captain Michael Hooper had been forced to ring team management to find out whether he had made Australia’s World Cup squad last week.

The Wallabies coach also said he had a better attack coach lined up to join the Wallabies in France following the abrupt exit of coach Brad Davis from his staff after four months in the job.

Jones was in a combative mood on Thursday at Sydney Airport as the team prepared to fly out to France for the World Cup, which begins next month, following a chaotic few days just weeks out from rugby’s centrepiece tournament.

Following a tense exchange with reporters, the Wallabies coach labelled it the “worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby” after taking umbrage at questions about his squad.

One of Jones’ most controversial selection calls was leaving out Cooper, who, until recently, was the side’s No.1 choice five-eighth. It has emerged that Jones and Cooper haven’t spoken since the squad announcement.

Wallabies players were informed by team manager Chris Webb last Wednesday if they had been selected for France.

Unsuccessful players were supposed to be told by Jones but by Wednesday evening, many hadn’t heard from the Wallabies coach and were unsure if they were to board a flight the following morning to Darwin for a camp.

Eddie Jones speaks to the media at Sydney Airport. Credit: Getty

Jones eventually tried to ring Cooper to tell him the bad news. Cooper, who Jones said earlier this year was all but certain to head to the World Cup, was also left out of an Australia A squad that will play a match against Portugal on August 26.

“I’ve tried to [speak to Cooper], mate, but can’t get a hold of him,” Jones told reporters on Thursday.

Asked why Cooper wouldn’t take the call, given his desire to play at a World Cup, Jones replied: “Because I think he’s very upset, mate. I don’t know why you’re going back to that. We’ve tried to ring him. That’s all we can do.

“I’m disappointed if a player is upset but all I can do is ring them. If they don’t take your phone call, you can’t talk to them.”

Eddie Jones said Quade Cooper had not returned his calls.Credit: Getty

Hooper was one of the affected players who, by Wednesday evening, did not know whether he had made the squad. Sources with knowledge of the situation have told this masthead that Hooper, a veteran of 125 Tests in a gold jersey, rang Wallabies management to check if he was in the touring party.

Asked if it was true that Hooper had had to ring to find out about his place in the squad, Jones said, “not to my knowledge”.

The 31-year-old has been recovering from a calf injury.

“Michael wasn’t selected for the tour,” Jones said. “There is still a question mark over his fitness. That is taken into consideration.”

Michael Hooper was not included in Australia’s 33-man squad for the World Cup.Credit: Getty

“You think the selection process is bad because a player has complained? I apologise for that. We’ll go out there and do our best boys.

“We’ve moved on. That’s all been done and dusted. If the players were unhappy about the selection process, so be it. We’re moving onto a new young squad that is going to take Australian rugby forward. What we’ve had over the last eight years hasn’t been good enough.”

Meanwhile, Jones did not appear concerned about the departure of Davis three weeks out from the World Cup.

“Family reasons, mate,” said Jones when asked why Davis had left. “I think there’s an opportunity for us and I think we’ll improve our coaching staff. We had a discussion a couple of nights ago. There is a potential candidate ready to step up now. I think we’ll improve the coaching staff.”

Jones said Scott Wisemantel, the former England and Australian attack coach, was not available.

Davis joined the Wallabies coaching staff in May after being recruited by Jones from London Irish, where he had worked as a defence coach.

Davis is a former rugby league half who spent his entire career in the UK Super League, playing 215 games for clubs including Castleford, Huddersfield and Wakefield between 1992 and 2006. He moved across to rugby coaching and spent a decade at Bath as a defence and skills coach, and has since coached at Ospreys and London Irish.

Brad Davis when he was coaching for London Irish.Credit: Getty

Davis has been reportedly linked to a role as defence coach of the Reds.

Jones was unhappy with reporters for what he believed was a negative line of questioning. He reiterated that, even after four straight losses to begin his second spell as Australian coach, he believed the Wallabies could go well at the World Cup.

“I can’t believe the level of negativity here, boys,” Jones said. “None of you guys think we can do any good. That’s alright. The challenge is for us as a group to show we can. I enjoy it when people say you can’t do it.

“Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby. That is the worst I’ve ever seen. Give yourself uppercuts.”

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