‘I’m always amazed by the questions about Eddie’ – Neal Hatley
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones.
Australia still have a faint chance of qualifying for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals and their scrum coach Neal Hatley said head coach Eddie Jones is as “desperate to win” as ever.
The Wallabies would have been eliminated from the global showpiece at the pool stage for the first time if Fiji had secured a bonus-point victory against Georgia in Bordeaux on Saturday.
Wallabies still have slim hopes
However, the Pacific Islanders clinched a narrow 17-12 triumph and their failure to collect five points means Australia retain slim hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals.
Australia must get a bonus-point win against Portugal in Saint-Etienne on Sunday and hope Fiji do not collect any points against the same opponents next week.
Since the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Australia – who won the tournament in 1991 and 1999 – have participated in all the subsequent tournaments and have never failed to reach the knockout stage.
Former England coach Jones, who has been linked to take over the coaching reins at Japan after the current tournament in France, says he is “100 per cent committed” to the Wallabies job and Hatley said: “I’m always amazed by the questions about Eddie.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him for a long time. I see no change in the way that this man operates.
“He’s desperate to win, he’s desperate for his players to do well. He’s desperate for his teams to connect and make their country proud.
“I can’t speak highly enough of how he conducts himself and how he drives the coaching staff and then the team and the players and the whole support staff.
“He is constantly demanding the very best you can be, not just for yourself but for the players, because that’s what the players deserve.”
Portugal have been competitive
Portugal have done well at this World Cup as they held Georgia to an 18-18 draw after putting up a spirited performance against Wales in a game they eventually lost 28-8.
Head coach Patrice Lagisquet said: “I think a lot about my team’s mindset and momentum at the moment, especially in terms of what we can potentially achieve, ie third spot in the pool.
“I don’t want us to get too excited. I am afraid that we get our expectations too high and that we come down to earth with a bang.”
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