Eddie is gone - ARU official

[aussies1st]

A SENIOR Australian Rugby Union official has informed associates that Wallabies coach Eddie Jones "is gone" and will be sacked after the European tour.

Sources told The Saturday Daily Telegraph last night the high ranking figure, who will play a part in the post-tour review, has made the comment less than a fortnight before Jones faces his December 9 day of judgment in front of the ARU board.



Jones remained defiant last night, claiming he was still the best man for the job, while preparing to answer the ARU board's please explain for the recent dismal Test results.

He also admitted no surprise at increased speculation that tomorrow morning's Test against Wales will be his final game at the helm.

"Rugby's always been a sport that has a strong rumour mill so these sort of things don't surprise me," Jones told The Daily Telegraph as he starts to prepare a defence case for his appearance before the board.

"I think it's par for the course. I've got a job to do, I keep on trying to do it. Boards operate how they want to operate and they'll make decisions. I don't have any control over that area.

"But I think I'm coaching the side well. While our results over the last period of time haven't been good, we're moving in the right direction.

"If you pay the price for not doing it quickly enough then so be it. If they want to make a decision to change, that's up to them. I still think I can do the job and do it extremely well." NSW coach Ewen McKenzie has declared himself ready for the position should Jones be axed after the wide-ranging ARU review. McKenzie is known to have NSW-based support on the board and the suspicion is that he has already been sounded out as a possible replacement.


But Jones told The Daily Telegraph he will not consider quitting the post and, if the ARU want him out, they will have to sack him.


"At the end of the day we are employed to win Test matches so we've been unsuccessful in that area," Jones said.

As The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday, there will be major changes to the Wallabies staff even if Jones stays. Other leading coaching figures have been earmarked for recruitment, including John Mitchell and Scott Johnson.

Interestingly, Jones admitted: "We do need to have the best support staff in the world. It's an area we've got to improve on."

He also suspects the views of former Test coach Alan Jones - whose opinions were respected by the ARU board - were coloured by events of 20 years ago.

"I think he [Alan Jones] has always got influence in Australian rugby," Eddie Jones said. "He's got influence in all spheres of life. And it's no secret that from the day I got the job he's wanted me out." But it's the ARU board, not Alan Jones, the coach has to convince. A horror seven-match losing streak ended with a limp victory over Ireland. An impressive win over Wales is now non-negotiable.

The Daily Telegraph

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17367982-23217,00.html

Just as I posted Gregan is gone so to is Jones. At last our team is getting somewhere.

 

[The Devil]

Who will be both their replacements?

People are mentioning David Nucifora, former Brumbies coach. I'm not too sure how well he coaches, though he did do well with the ACT Brumbies when he was in charge.

Also who is in line to take Gregan's spot? I don't think Whits will get the nod.. he may get the nod for a little while in the beginning, but then they will go for youth in Henjak or Valentine. Then theres the talk about Giteau being groomed as a scrum half.

Theres too much talk and not enough action IMO

 

[aussies1st]

Ewen McKenzie is favourite but if they don't appoint one until after the Super 14, Nucifora can show what he can do.

Replacement for Gregan would be Henjak if they want youth, Whits for experience.

 

[lockyno1]

Thank goodness but it took them 12 months too long!

 

[Jackal Dog]

Thanks for the memories George, but your time is up mate!

On the other hand Eddie, don't let the door hit you on the way out, good riddance!

 

[aussies1st]

There was only one good memory Jones gave me. The 2003 World cup where we came from no where and almost beat the English. Since then the wheels have been falling off.

 

[aqua_duck]

Who cares who their replacements are, they couldn't be any worse.

 

[blackfriday]

unless they give the job to campo

 

[The Devil]

There was only one good memory Jones gave me. The 2003 World cup where we came from no where and almost beat the English. Since then the wheels have been falling off.

We didn't exactly come from nowhere.

We had won the last WC, albeit 4 years ago, but we were one of the favourites to win the title

 

[aussies1st]

The ABs and England were the favourites. We were smashed by 50 from the ABs. Then stumble through the group stages. Then we beat the ABs. I think that is coming from no where.

Who cares who their replacements are, they couldn't be any worse.

Ummm the Reds coach Miller?

 

[choc_soldier]

But would a NZ Super 14 coach (Nucifora) be a suitable coach for the Wallabies? I tend to think not in my opinion.

 

[aussies1st]

He would have to scarfice the job at some point. Either before the Super 14 or after it.

 

[skeepe]

While it's likely that Jones will be replaced - a terrible move in my opinion as there is nobody good enough to replace him - it's not a foregone conclusion:

Even one of Jones' harsher foreign critics, former British and Irish Lions five-eighth Jonathan Davies -- who in the lead-up to this Test accused the Wallabies of robotic play -- was singing a different song after the match. By that time, he was suggesting the Australians are just two players removed from greatness.

"Get a couple of props who can keep their scrum solid and Australia can still win the World Cup," Davies said.

If those words don't sway wavering board members, maybe these ones from senior players Brendan Cannon and Lote Tuqiri might. Both were asked last night whether Jones should be retained as Wallabies coach.

Tuqiri: "Yeah mate, I think he should. He's pretty positive about the way we're playing. He wants to bring the next group through and he's treated them pretty well. So I don't see anyone else. The players are behind him."

Cannon: "I've been aware of the criticism he and George have been receiving and, in all honesty from a player's perspective, in an unbiased way, Eddie's work ethic is well-renowned and I can't see anyone else in Australian rugby at the moment who is qualified to take over the job. I believe he is a phenomenal coach.

"Results don't indicate that and the hardest thing is that his destiny is in our hands.

"He can do as much work as he can during the week but then we get the chance to go out and reward not just him but all of us for all the hard work we put in. And when we're not rewarding ourselves, the results obviously reflect poorly on him.

"But I don't think in any way the results we've achieved as a player group are a reflection on his coaching ability."

What is significant is that neither player sees any real alternative when both were coached at the Waratahs this year by Ewen McKenzie, the leading candidate to replace Jones should the job become vacant.

Significantly, Cannon emphasised the unity and harmony of the touring squad. On all the available evidence, his assessment of the Wallabies' morale is completely accurate, save for some unease over Matt Giteau's axing from the starting line-up following the Test in Marseille

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17383858%255E2722,00.html

 

[aussies1st]

Ewen McKenzie took the Tahs to the finals, were top of the Super 12 for most of the comp. What more do you want.

 

[lockyno1]

Gregan gone- henjak/whitaker in, I would prefer henjak as he is younger. And Jones gone and I would take a punt and put John Mitchell as coach. I know Mckensie is good but I don't think he can win a world cup within 2 years, mitchell is a better chance of doing that!

Thank goodness Jones is gone!

 

[skeepe]

Mitchell is a Kiwi. He won't be considered.

 

[aussies1st]

Get Nucifora, he can do the goods in the given time. Even though the players hated him he managed to get the Brumbies to the Super 12 title. If they was such conflict in the camp surely they wouldn't have been able to win the title.

 

[lockyno1]

Mitchell is a Kiwi. He won't be considered.

So what if he is a Kiwi! You do realise the current NZ coach is WELSH! Get the best man for the job who cares what country he is from! And provided that is not Eddie Jones I don't care who gets the job!

 

[Te Kaha]

So what if he is a Kiwi! You do realise the current NZ coach is WELSH! Get the best man for the job who cares what country he is from! And provided that is not Eddie Jones I don't care who gets the job!

...er... no hes not.. Henry was born in Chch... he and hanson may have coached Wales but the are both Kiwis.

 

[ThrashViking]

So what if he is a Kiwi! You do realise the current NZ coach is WELSH! Get the best man for the job who cares what country he is from! And provided that is not Eddie Jones I don't care who gets the job!

Er?:?