Eddie Jones wins new job as Japan coach after bitter Wallabies exit

Eddie Jones has won a job he previously denied going for while coach of the Wallabies – and he’s taking a key former staffer with him.

Eddie Jones blitzed his second job interview to win the Japan head coaching role from rival Frans Ludeke, and is taking former Wallabies general manager Chris Webb with him.

Sources told this masthead that some Japan board members were wavering on Jones last week, but after he gave a more impressive second interview than Ludeke last Friday, the selection panel unanimously decided to appoint Jones to the job just five weeks after he resigned as Wallabies coach.

Kiwi Tabai Matson, the third contender for the job, had dropped out before last week’s second round of interviews.

Japan’s board of directors will meet on Wednesday (December 13) to ratify the appointment and make a public announcement.

Jones, who denied during the Wallabies’ failed World Cup campaign that he was eyeing the Japan job despite being contracted to Rugby Australia for five years, had indeed been in with talks about the role in September.

Webb had resigned days before Jones in late October.

Eddie Jones has been announced as coach of Japan. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

The 63-year-old Jones held initial talks with Japan the week before the Wallabies began their World Cup in France, and while he continued to deny the reports, sources in Australia and overseas have confirmed he had a meeting about the role while still in charge of the Wallabies.

Jones cited a lack of centralisation within RA, and their inability to gain private equity funding, as the reasons he chose to resign from his multimillion-dollar contract, but at the time continued to reject links to Japan.

On Sunday, Japanese media outlet Sponichi reported a timeline of how events unfolded.

“It was revealed on the 8th (of December) that Eddie Jones (63), who served in the same position from 2012 to 2015, has been confirmed to return as the next head coach (HC) of the Japan national rugby team,” the report said.

“The Japan Association’s selection committee was unified by the same day. If approved by the Board of Directors on the 13th, he will be officially appointed for the first time in eight years.

“Regarding the selection of the next head coach, Japan Association President Masato Tsuchida, who has a close relationship with Jones, led the return and made a secret offer to Jones, who had been the Australia coach this spring.

Eddie Jones’ exit from the Wallabies was bitter. Picture: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images for Barbarians

“An open call was held in July, with Ligue 1 Division 1 Tokyo Bay head coach [Frans Ludeke] and others nominating. Final interviews were held with the two finalists in Tokyo on the 7th. As originally planned, Mr. Jones was selected.

“On the night of the 8th, Mr. Jones’ confidant and former Australian national team GM Chris Webb visited Japan. This was held in conjunction with the inauguration press conference to be held on the 14th, the day after the Board of Directors’ meeting, and it is expected that he will be appointed to the position in charge of strengthening the company.

“Immediately after arriving at Haneda Airport, Mr. Webb responded to an interview with Sponichi, adding, ‘Nothing has been decided yet’.”

“Mr. Jones, who is known as a world-famous general, has experience in four World Cups as the national team head coach. He led his home country Australia in 2003, led England to runners-up in the 2019 tournament, and led Japan to a historic three wins in the 2015 tournament.

“He led his country again in this fall’s World Cup, but he was eliminated from the first round of the league for the first time in history, and resigned on [October 31].”

Originally published as Eddie Jones wins new job as Japan coach after bitter Wallabies exit