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<\/p>\nEddie Jones hit back at some reporters\u2019 line of questioning <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Australia coach Eddie Jones lashed out at journalists in a spiky post-match press conference following the Wallabies\u2019 record defeat to Wales that saw them crash out of the Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n
Australia were thumped 40-6 in Lyon by a rampant Wales side to all but confirm their exit at the group stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history.<\/p>\n
Jones apologised for the record defeat but was unhappy with questions surrounding a report in the Sydney Morning Herald<\/em> earlier in the day, which claimed Jones was secretly interviewed by Japanese rugby officials just days before the World Cup about taking over as the country\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n The 63-year-old has four years remaining on his current deal with the Wallabies but The Herald <\/em>reported he is considering returning to Japan \u2013 who he coached from 2012 to 2015. <\/p>\n When asked by a journalist whether he had interviewed with the JRFU for the role, Jones bluntly responded: \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about mate\u201d and repeated the same answer when later asked if he had a second interview scheduled.<\/p>\n He was then asked whether he could give Wallabies fans his 100 per cent commitment that he won\u2019t be coaching Japan next year and Jones simply replied \u201cI\u2019m committed to coach Australia.\u201d When pressed on whether that included next year, he would only repeat \u201cI\u2019m committed to coach Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Eddie Jones apologised for Australia\u2019s defeat to Wales <\/p>\n Generally renowned for his press conference outbursts, Jones was fairly restrained until reporters asked captain Dave Porecki \u2013 who was doing the press conference alongside his coach \u2013 whether the players had been affected by rumours of the flirtation with Japan.<\/p>\n After Porecki suggested the squad weren\u2019t aware of the report, Jones hit back at the line of questioning. <\/p>\n \u201cI really take umbrage at the questioning that people are questioning my commitment to coaching Australia,\u201d he fumed in a spiky exchange. \u201cI really take umbrage at it. I\u2019ve been working non-stop since I\u2019ve come in and I\u2019ve apologised for the result. I keep saying that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo to be questioning my commitment to the job, I think is a bit red hot. So we\u2019re not gonna deal with any of those questions any further. I\u2019m happy to talk about Wales, Portugal but if you keep going down that line, I\u2019ll excuse myself. So do you want to decide what you want to do?\u201d<\/p>\n Jones also hinted that the whole of Australian rugby needed an overhaul, rather than the problems beginning and ending with the men\u2019s national team.<\/p>\n \u201cI came back to Australia trying to help,\u201d he said. \u201cAt the moment, I\u2019m not getting much help am I? But that doesn\u2019t mean my commitment to them has changed. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a proud Australian, I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we\u2019re doing, particularly under my reign. It\u2019s not only the Wallabies that we\u2019ve got to improve but it\u2019s the whole system of Australian rugby. That\u2019s not an excuse, we\u2019ve just got to improve the way we\u2019re going about our rugby.\u201d<\/p>\nRecommended<\/h3>\n
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