Rugby World Cup clean-out: Eddie Jones set for bombshell Wallabies departure as key ally resigns

Australia’s World Cup bloodletting is set to claim its highest profile victim, with Eddie Jones set to follow a key ally out the door after another shock resignation.

Eddie Jones. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Monique Harmer

Eddie Jones’s tenure as Wallabies coach looks all but finished.

The departures of a range of Wallabies staff, including the highly-respected general manager Chris Webb, signal that the end is nigh for Jones.

While Jones is contracted until the end of 2027, his future in Australia has been under intense scrutiny since he was linked to the coaching role of Japan during the World Cup.

Jones has denied any contact with the Japan Rugby Football Union, although sources say he is in the frame for the role and could have a second interview next month.

The talk increasingly emerging from those inside the Wallabies camp is that Jones is done as coach.

It’s understood he has clauses in his contract that allow him an exit should Rugby Australia fail to secure private investment funding and a centralised model.

Neither have been achieved yet.

An exodus of Wallabies staff in recent days was part of “a cleanout” by RA, sources said, following the failed World Cup campaign in France in which Australia was eliminated from the pool stages for the first time.

Most of the staff were only contracted to the end of the World Cup but given many of them were brought in by Jones, including team psychologists, the move not to renew their contracts shows a line in the sand is being drawn.

Eddie Jones’ Wallabies tenure is all but over following another resignation. Picture: Richard Dobson

Webb, who was the Wallabies team manager under previous coach Dave Rennie, has worked closely with Jones since his appointment in January and is said to be one of his most trusted colleagues.

It’s believed that while Webb’s departure has disappointed Jones, the manager had also lined up other projects before the World Cup began.

Nevertheless, it leaves Jones adrift.

His World Cup assistant coaches Jason Ryles, Brett Hodgson, Dan Palmer, Neil Hatley, Pierre-Henry Broncan and Berrick Barnes are all gone following Australia’s embarrassing showing.

Assistant Brad Davis had quit on the eve of the tournament.

Jones, who is in Wales to coach the Barbarians for their match against Wales on November 4, could not be reached for comment.

RA chief executive Phil Waugh is travelling from France back to Australia.

The apparent out-clauses in Jones’s contract, should he invoke them, would save RA a full-term payout of his contract.

RA sources suggested that the governing body had clauses in its favour that would also avoid paying out the full term.

RA chairman Hamish McLennan received private investment offers that were far less than he anticipated and has instead chosen to apply for a loan of up to $90 million to keep the game afloat.

Private equity firms believe RA will not get a major boost in its broadcast rights after 2025, while McLennan believes it will.

Eddie Jones. Picture: NCA Newswire/Monique Harmer

Chris Webb. Picture: Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images

The new global Nations Cup, to feature the expanded Rugby Championship teams – with Fiji and Japan set to be added – and the Six Nations teams playing against each should add more value.

But how much will be the key question.

And RA’s proposed centralisation model is being fiercely fought by the states, particularly Queensland, the Brumbies and Western Force, which agree that a nationalised player system will help but don’t want to hand over financial control.

With all of these headaches plaguing the national body, it wants to resolve the Jones saga as soon as possible.

Many of his Wallabies allies will now be watching on from the sidelines.