‘Toxic environment’ – Eddie Jones blamed for Australia’s Rugby World Cup embarrassment
Head coach Eddie Jones prior to Australia's Rugby World Cup defeat to Wales.
Journalists, former players and fans have laid into Eddie Jones following Australia’s dreadful defeat to Wales in the Rugby World Cup.
The Wallabies were hammered by Warren Gatland’s men in Lyon on Sunday, which puts them on the brink of elimination.
That 40-6 loss to the Welsh means that Australia have won just one of eight matches since Jones returned to the hotseat in January.
It was their second loss in the 2023 World Cup, following on from their 22-15 reversal at the hands of Fiji last weekend.
Permutations
The Flying Fijians now just need five points from their final two matches against Georgia and Portugal to make sure of their passage into the quarter-finals, and the Wallabies’ early exit.
Ex-England fly-half Andy Goode was quick to stick the boot in during and after Australia’s embarrassing loss to Wales.
“Actually feel for the Australian players, they are operating in a toxic environment created by Eddie Jones and you can see it in their performances,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Before that, Goode wrote in another post: “They are currently filling out Eddie Jones P45 in Australia! Looks like he doesn’t know much about rugby these days not the journo’s!”
Australian journalists also took to social media with Tom Decent, who broke the story surrounding Jones’ alleged Japan talks, writing: “This is carnage.”
Rugby writer and podcaster Brett McKay blamed Jones but also criticised the Rugby Australia hierarchy.
“This has been a failure of planning, of selection, and of preparation, at every level,” McKay wrote.
“Feel for the Wallabies players. They’ve been sent out into battle with no weapons and not even basic tools.
“An absolute disaster solely of Jones & (Hamish) McLennan’s making.”
Meanwhile, Bernard Foley, a fly-half discarded by Jones, was the first current player to speak out, aiming a subtle dig at the head coach.
“It didn’t have to be like this! Love this team. Players always put in,” he wrote, suggesting that the issue isn’t with those on the field.
Bad selections and complicated game plan
Finally, Thala Msutu summed it all up, delving into Jones’ bizarre selections and ineffective attacking structure.
“What is sad for the Wallabies is never mind the long term systemic issues. Never mind the decision to fire a coach and to give Eddie Jones a 5 year contract. Never mind the promises and shenanigans from Eddie…” he wrote.
“They still could’ve picked a team that could get out of this group.
“It genuinely might’ve been as simple as pick (Quade) Cooper and (Michael) Hooper and simplify the game like (Warren) Gatland and (Steve) Borthwick eventually did.
“Eddie Jones rather chose to install a team full of rookies, tried to implement his complicated positionless attacking structure (that he couldn’t get through to England over 3 years).
“Instead it’s just been quotes, barbs and gaslighting of the Wallabies faithful. It really don’t have to go this way.”
