Former All Black Sonny Bill Williams said he couldn\u2019t blame players for not following Jones into battle on Sunday (Monday AEST) after reports of the coach\u2019s Zoom meeting with the Japan Football Rugby Union, which Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh and other officials were not aware of.<\/p>\n
On a dark day for Australian rugby, the Wallabies slumped to a 40-6 defeat against Wales in Lyon to effectively end their hopes of progressing to a quarter-final.<\/p>\n
With one game remaining against Portugal on Sunday (Monday AEST), Australia need some unlikely results to go their way to reach the next round.<\/p>\n
It was the heaviest defeat in Australia\u2019s World Cup history, four years after a 40-16 quarter-final loss to England.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s build-up was rocked by this masthead\u2019s report that Jones, who has a contract with Australian rugby until 2027, had been interviewed by JRFU officials via Zoom on August 25 to replace Jamie Joseph.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ben Donaldson passes against Wales.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Jones has distanced himself from the report, Waugh said in interviews before kick-off.<\/p>\n The Wallabies coach has told Waugh he is committed to Australia.<\/p>\n Jones, who has won one of eight games in charge of the Wallabies since his return in January, was asked if he had been interviewed by the JRFU.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what you are talking about mate,\u201d Jones said after Australia\u2019s heaviest defeat to Wales.<\/p>\n Eddie Jones at his press conference after Australia\u2019s 40-6 loss to Wales.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Later, Jones was asked if he had a second interview with Japan lined up.<\/p>\n \u201cI said, I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about mate,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n This masthead reported that Japan officials have discussed a second interview with Jones.<\/p>\n Asked if he could give Wallabies fans a 100 per cent commitment he would not be coach of Japan next year, Jones said: \u201cI have committed to coach Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Pone Fa\u2019amausili covers his face after the loss to Wales.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n A World Cup media official then moved questions along. Jones later returned to the issue and defended his reputation.<\/p>\n \u201cI take umbrage at the questioning [and] people questioning my commitment to coaching Australia,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI have been working non-stop since I came here and I apologise for the result. I keep saying that but to question my commitment to the job is a bit red-hot.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are not going to deal with those questions any further. I am happy to talk about Wales, I am happy to talk about [next opponents] Portugal. If you want to keep going down that line, I will excuse myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Wallabies players, some of whom shed tears at full-time, all insisted they were not affected by the report. Many said they weren\u2019t aware of it.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the amount of media on us at the moment, I doubt anybody saw that, so I\u2019m not quite sure what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott said. \u201cTo answer your question, I didn\u2019t hear anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams criticised Jones on Stan Sport after the loss.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019m a player … I\u2019m not following a guy that\u2019s sitting having a meeting with another national team, potentially looking for another job days before you\u2019re hopping on the plane to come to this World Cup,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThat\u2019s just my opinion. I might be different, I might be going a bit too far here.\u201d<\/p>\n Waugh reiterated that he trusted Jones was telling the truth.<\/p>\n However, the Rugby Australia chief said he had not asked the JRFU whether it had spoken to Jones, who has four years left on his deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI take people on their word and that\u2019s what I have been told,\u201d Waugh said. \u201cI\u2019m a firm believer for taking people on their word. I think it would be disappointing, and I think everyone would think it would be disappointing.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t spoken to Japan yet but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s my space to go over and ask governing bodies who they are talking to and what they\u2019re up to. I\u2019ve taken Eddie for what he has said, in the fact he has denied it and we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch all the action from <\/b>Rugby World Cup 2023<\/b> on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match streaming ad-free, live and in 4K UHD with replays, mini matches and highlights available on demand.<\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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