Defiant coach Eddie Jones has turned on the media as the Wallabies ready to fly out of Sydney for the Rugby World Cup in France minus their assault coach Brad Davis.
Winless in 4 Tests since changing Dave Rennie and taking up his second stint as Australia coach in January, the stress on Jones has rocketed forward of the event which will get underway subsequent month.
He made a quantity of shock choice selections final week in his World Cup squad, together with dumping long-time captain Michael Hooper and veteran playmaker Quade Cooper. The latter refused to reply calls from Jones, with the coach describing the 35-year-old as “very upset” about his omission.
“I tried to ring him and I can’t get a hold of him – that’s all I can do,” Jones mentioned.
His assistant Davis this week give up, leaving the Wallabies with out an assault coach forward of their World Cup opener in opposition to Georgia in Paris on 10 September (AEST). They face hosts France in a pre-tournament Test on Monday 28 August.
Jones mentioned Davis, who solely took on the function in May, had resigned for household causes and insisted he already had a substitute in thoughts. “There’s an opportunity for us … we’ll improve our coaching staff,” Jones mentioned. “There’s a potential candidate ready to step up now.”
A testy Jones was sad to be probed about his participant choice at Sydney airport earlier than the team’s departure and mentioned the media had been too adverse.
“I know what’s wrong with Australian rugby and you blokes are part of the problem because you’re so bloody negative about everything,” Jones mentioned. “We’re going off to a World Cup you think we can’t win. You think the selection process is bad because the players complain, so I apologise for that.
“Tell us we’re terrible and we will prove you wrong. I can feel this negativity, I’ve got to wash myself off, it’s sticking to me. Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby. Well done, the worst I’ve ever seen.”
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The Wallabies need to finest their 2019 quarter-final loss in opposition to a Jones-coached England aspect in Japan.
Jones mentioned he felt “much more confident” than he did when he took over about the possibilities of the Australians succeeding at the recreation’s international showpiece.
“We’ve got the right squad now, we’ve got the right balance of energy, enthusiasm and youth on our side; we’re ready to go,” he mentioned. “Yesterday our training was the best I’ve seen by a mile … we’re ready to show the world what we can do.”
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