Wallabies: Eddie Jones eyeing Australia’s Super Rugby coaches for ‘smash and grab’ World Cup job

David Skippers 17 Feb 2023 6:20 AM

Australian rugby union head coach Eddie Jones attends a press conference at Matraville Sports High School in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Jones, who was named as new coach of the Australian rugby team on Jan. 16, faced the media on Tuesday in his first appearance since returning to the Wallabies. He will lead the team at the Rugby World Cup later this year in France. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Wallabies boss Eddie Jones said he will consider using Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific coaches to form part of a brain trust to help win this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

The 63-year-old replaced Dave Rennie as Australia’s new head coach last month and since his appointment the composition of his backroom staff has been a major topic of discussion.

Must still decide on Wallabies assistants

Jones is yet to decide on the futures of Dan McKellar and Laurie Fisher, who served as Wallabies assistants when Rennie was in charge of the team.

Meanwhile, attack coach Scott Wisemantel, who worked under Jones during his stint in charge of England, resigned before Rennie was fired, while legendary rugby league coach Michael Maguire turned down the chance to become Jones’ defence coach to continue coaching in the NRL.

And Jones has now revealed that he has thought about using the best coaches from Australia’s five Super Rugby franchises on a short-term job basis at the World Cup.

“We’ve got a bit of a smash and grab job, it’s nine and a half months and (it’s like) there’s a beautiful jewellery store around the corner,” he told AAP.

“You’ve got to get four or five coaches that can work together to get in there, steal the trophy and get out without getting caught.

“In a lot of ways, we’ve got time because as a coaching team, we need to be together probably for the last six or eight weeks of Super Rugby, where selection is going to become important.”

Jones is planning to have meetings with each of the Australian sides’ coaches in the upcoming months.

He said although he wouldn’t be dictating tactics to the Super Rugby franchises, he would offer consultation on where he thought potential Wallabies would be best suited.

“We don’t tell the Super teams how to play,” he said.

“We’re not New Zealand or Ireland – we’re Australia.

“We have a relationship with the Super Rugby coaches but I want them to play the style they want to play.

“What I want to see is that the players play with that toughness that want to get better, they want to help their teammates in difficult situations.”