Eddie Jones’ departure from the Rugby Football Union has changed everything.
Now, the question is whether Rugby Australia will act?
Jones is the man RA has been contemplating for a while. They thought the former Wallabies coach would become available post the 2023 World Cup, but his sacking less than 10 months out from next year’s tournament in France has set a cat among the pigeons.
As one source said, “It will be interesting to see how Eddie’s departure shapes RA’s thinking.”
Dave Rennie’s tenure has never been on more shaky ground.
When the Wallabies slumped to a new low against Italy last month, the RA board freaked out.
The high-performance committee managed to ease some of the anxiety and temper reaction, but the historic first loss was a huge cross against Rennie. It also backed up some of the concerns the rugby committee had about Rennie.
For a governing body that is talking about a resurgence, the loss was a huge step back in earning the respect of the nation.
Eddie Jones. (Photo by Mark Evans – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
For a governing body welcoming new sponsorships, it was a hammer blow to the legitimacy of the Wallabies brand when other areas of Rugby Australia like the men’s and women’s sevens teams have turned a corner.
This was not the All Blacks or the Springboks or Ireland the Wallabies lost to, but a side ranked well outside the top 10 on World Rugby’s rankings.
A credible performance against Ireland, where togetherness and fight was shown on the field during a three-point loss, eased some tensions, but the reality is Andy Farrell’s men lost Johnny Sexton in the warm-up and were terrible in attack without him.
Had the Wallabies lost to Wales, Rennie would have faced a nervous summer. He still does.
It’s understood Jones’ sacking has not tarnished his reputation at Moore Park.
Jones has his enemies, a list that runs as long as Moore Park Road, but he is respected for running a high-performance program and for driving performance.
It is why the USA is interested in his services, as is Japan, who would bring him back as their head honcho following Jamie Joseph’s departure following next year’s World Cup. Jones is also admired by French coach Fabien Galthie.
When he took over England, he led the Red Roses to 18 consecutive victories to equal the All Blacks’ world record.
Some say that Jones got too much credit, pointing to the fact that he made few changes to the side that Stuart Lancaster had previously brought through.
But it is one thing to spot talent, it is another thing altogether to harness that talent and see it reach its potential.
The Wallabies might have been decimated by injuries throughout 2022, but the question RA will ask themselves is whether Rennie is getting the most out of his players?
It is likely the same question Wales asked themselves when they made the decision to terminate Wayne Pivac’s contract.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
As Warren Gatland said after the Welsh Rugby Union announced the New Zealander was returning to the Principality Stadium: “There is little time for sentiment. Professional sport is all about preparation, values and results.”
British pundit Stuart Barnes questioned whether Jones was getting the best out of England’s players as well as his selection.
But as Matt Giteau said on Twitter on Tuesday night, moments after Jones was sacked by RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney, the Australian tailors everything to peaking in a World Cup.
“If Eddie Jones gets sacked it would have to be the silliest thing they could do to the English rugby team. He plans & plans & plans years in advance for this competition. It’s the one competition that he has got consistently right time and time again. Big mistake imo (in my opinion),” Giteau tweeted.
Jones’ World Cup records speaks to Giteau’s comments, where the former Randwick coach holds an 82 per cent winning record from three World Cup campaigns. If you include his gold medal with the Springboks in 2007, where he was a crucial figure alongside Jake White, his record moves up 90 per cent.
In addition, he has been a coach in three World Cup finals, and a head coach in two of those, including the most recent tournament in 2019.
As poor as England’s results were in 2022, Jones finished with the highest winning percentage (73%) of any England coach, including Clive Woodward.
He also led England to a second straight series victory in Australia, while his side staged a stunning comeback against the All Blacks to draw with world rugby’s heavyweights last month.
The result continued his fine record against the All Blacks, where he recorded one win, one draw, and one defeat to New Zealand since taking over in 2016.
There is a belief, too, that Rennie might not be able to inspire his side like the modern coaching greats.
Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
One New Zealand source recently said he was giving Rennie the benefit of the doubt because All Blacks coaching guru Wayne Smith said he was a gun.
But the reality is Rennie has not won any silverware since the Chiefs won a second straight Super Rugby title in 2013.
RA won’t want to let Jones slips through their fingers beyond 2024.
They want an Australian to lead the Wallabies’ charge for the series against the British and Irish Lions in 2025 and the home World Cup in 2027. Jones is considered the No.1 target.
Whether they could entice him to work alongside Rennie is another option.
Rennie’s selections have been found wanting since inheriting an inexperienced Wallabies side in 2020 that resembled the “s–show” Rugby Australia was in at the time under the previous regime.
Jones, just as he was for White in 2007, could be the perfect sounding board.
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