Eddie Jones has confirmed that he will continue as the coach of the Australian rugby team, despite their early exit from the World Cup. He also dismissed reports suggesting that he would be taking up a coaching role with Japan.
Throughout the World Cup, there were media rumors that the 63-year-old Australian, who has Japanese heritage, had been interviewed for the position of head coach of the Japanese team just days before his team’s final warm-up match.
“I haven’t been speaking to anyone, mate,” Jones told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday, denying the claims.
The Australian team, led by Jones, was eliminated from the World Cup in France after losing to Fiji and Wales consecutively. This marked their earliest exit ever in the tournament.
Despite the disappointing performance, Jones defended his decision to focus on developing young players.
“I stand by the decisions I made, and I think we have left Australian rugby in a better position,” he said. “When I took on the Wallabies, we had very little preparation time, so I had to quickly decide our strategy.”
He continued, “I made the decision to invest in our youth. I believe that is the best way to build a strong future for Australian rugby, and I still believe it was the right decision.”
According to Jones, the young talent on the team gained valuable experience from the World Cup and will be better prepared for the 2027 tournament.
Reporting from Melbourne, Ian Ransom; editing by Ken Ferris.
