Former Test winger Drew Mitchell has demanded Eddie Jones clarify a few of his selection choices, blaming the coach for placing the Wallabies in hazard of lacking the quarter-finals for the primary time in World Cup historical past.
Mitchell was upset after the Wallabies’ shock loss to Fiji, with the workforce now heading to a do-or-die pool conflict with unbeaten Wales this Sunday (Monday AEST) in Lyon to stay an opportunity of constructing the play-offs.
Speaking on a podcast which additionally options former Wallabies Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Giteau, 71-Test Mitchell blasted Jones in a foul-mouthed rant.
“Let’s not take away from the fact that Fiji played really well, but let’s also not take away from the fact that we fucking shouldn’t have lost to Fiji,” Mitchell instructed The Good, The Bad and the Rugby Australia podcast.
He questioned Jones’s transfer to pursue a youth policy and miss long-time skipper Michael Hooper and veteran playmaker Quade Cooper, deciding on just one five-eighth in the squad in 22-year-old Carter Gordon.
Mitchell, who has performed in three World Cups, mentioned Jones wanted to come back clear to followers after their first defeat by Fiji in 69 years.
“You’ve [Jones] made some glaring decisions around Quade [Cooper], around Michael Hooper, six captains in seven weeks, like, fucking explain some of these decisions to us,” Mitchell mentioned.
“Because as fans we’re all sitting here scratching our heads, and a lot of the time we can sit there and defend Eddie or the Wallabies because we can understand logic in some of these decisions but there’s none of it.
“Tell us as fans why have you not picked these guys? Because now we’re seeing the result of you not picking some of these guys.”
The 39-year-old, who final performed for Australia in 2016, didn’t settle for Jones taking duty for the 22-15 loss – their first to Fiji in match historical past – saying it was an “empty line” in a press convention with no actual penalties.
“Eddie sits there and goes ‘yeah, it’s my fault. I take full responsibility.’ What the fuck does that mean though? Like, he doesn’t get dropped this week,” Mitchell mentioned. “What does that equate to? Nothing.”
Mitchell’s spray caught Fiji in the crossfire, with their coach Simon Raiwalui responding via social media saying his remarks concerning his workforce had been “condescending”.
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Fiji are ranked the world’s No 8 workforce, one forward of Australia, they usually additionally beat heavyweights England in their World Cup warm-up. A former Wallabies assistant coach, Raiwalui questioned why Mitchell believed the Wallabies shouldn’t have misplaced to Fiji.
“It starts to get a little condescending…do our young men deserve that?” Raiwalui wrote on social media platform X, previously referred to as Twitter.
Mitchell replied to Raiwalui that he didn’t imply for his feedback to be interpreted that method.
“In no way did I mean for that to come across as condescending whatsoever. I love what you and the team are doing and thoroughly deserved to win,” Mitchell mentioned. “It was more about your point in the press conference in the resources both unions have at their disposal.”
Mitchell later apologised for his swearing and mentioned he was drained and a “tad emotional”.
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