Eddie Jones resigns from Australia job after poor World Cup campaign

Sun, 29 Oct, 2023 - 13:26

By PA Sport Staff

Eddie Jones has resigned as Australia head coach, according to reports in the country.

The 63-year-old former England boss was in charge of a disastrous World Cup campaign, which saw Australia fail to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

During the tournament in France it was reported that Jones had held talks to take over Japan for a second time, despite being less than than one year into a five-year contract which was set to expire after the 2027 World Cup.

Eddie Jones' return to Australia did not go to plan — Eddie Jones’ return to Australia did not go to plan (Adam Davy/PA)

Following the reports, Jones told the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday: “(I) gave it a run. Hopefully be the catalyst for change.

“Sometimes you have to eat s**t for others to eat caviar further down the track.”

There was no confirmation from Rugby Australia on Sunday morning.

Jones was reappointed Australia head coach in January 2023, just one month after the Rugby Football Union sacked him for a poor run of results in which England had won just five of 12 Tests in 2022.

He led England to three Six Nations titles, including the Grand Slam in 2016, and also to the final of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Jones’ return to Australia, for whom he coached between 2001 and 2005 and led them to the 2003 World Cup final in which they were beaten by England, quickly turned sour.

England Press Conference – Pennyhill Park — Eddie Jones had Six Nations success with England before results turned sour and he was sacked in 2022 (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The Wallabies won two of nine Tests this year, against minnows Georgia and Portugal, and suffered respective 22-15 and 40-6 World Cup defeats to Fiji and Wales.

Australia’s 12.5 per cent win rate in Jones’s second stint as Wallabies coach is the least successful in their history.

Jones denied he took part in an interview with the Japanese Rugby Football Union both during and after the World Cup.

Despite multiple news outlets reporting that he was poised to meet officials in Japan next month for a second interview, Jones repeatedly told the media that he was committed to Australian rugby.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the precise terms of Jones’ release are yet to be finalised.