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Eddie Jones has delivered a fiery outburst to a group of journalists at Sydney Airport claiming he ‘could not believe the level of negativity’ from the media towards his side ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
The Australian rugby coach’s explosive rant comes as a key member of his staff, Brad Davis, resigned hours before the Wallabies were set to depart for France due to personal reasons.
Coming into the tournament, Jones’ side are winless in their last four outings, with the 63-year-old yet to secure a victory since taking over.
Jones, who departed his role as England head coach in December was fielded questions about his squad selections on the upcoming tournament.
He raised eyebrows over choosing to omit Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper from his World Cup squad, two of Australia’s most talented and experienced players of the last ten years.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is clearly feeling the pressure ahead of the World Cup in France
Australia have lost all four of their test matches this season, with Jones having failed to pick up a win since taking charge
‘I can’t believe the level of negativity here boys,’ Jones said, speaking towards the journalists.
‘I know what’s wrong with Australian rugby, and part of you blokes have a problem because you’re so bloody negative about everything, so negative about everything.
‘We’re going off to a World Cup you don’t think we can win. You think the selection process is bad because the players complain, so I apologise for that. We’ll go out there and do our best boys. So if you haven’t got anything positive to say, don’t ask.’
Jones, who was wearing an Akubra hat, fired off at the media saying: ‘Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby. Well done – the worst I’ve ever seen.’
He was notably asked by one journalist what he sees in his side, responding sarcastically: ‘Nothing, mate. We’re terrible.
‘I love this negativity – it’s fantastic. I love it, love it – keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going.’
When questioned on the rumours that Cooper had been ignoring the Australia boss after he was overlooked, Jones admitted that he had tried to get in touch with the fly-half but to no avail.
‘I tried to ring him and I can’t get a hold of him.
‘If I ring them and they don’t ring back, what do you want me to do?’
In their last two outings against New Zealand, the Wallabies suffered a 38-7 thumping at the MCG before heading to Dunedin where they looked much better but were narrowly beaten 23-20 by the All Blacks
Jones lost his cool on Thursday, as a scrum of journalists asked him some simple questions at Sydney Airport
Jones then called time on the press conference and headed to the departure lounge ahead of the World Cup
The Wallabies last win came in November 2022, where they defeated Wales in Cardiff 39-34
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Eyebrows have been raised over Jones’ decision to omit fly-half Quade Cooper (middle)
The outburst comes after the Australian made a shock confession to a private function over the status of his side earlier this August, claiming that Australian rugby ‘was miles away from where it needed to be.’
Jones also recently accused a reporter of being a ‘smartarse’ following his side’s 43-12 defeat by South Africa earlier this July.
‘Eddie, you expressed your disappointment in the week that you weren’t playing the first-choice Springboks side. Is that a bit of relief now?’ asked the bold journalist.
The former Japan coach replied: ‘South Africans are good at winning. You don’t have to be a smartarse mate,’ the Wallabies coach hit back.
‘We were well and truly beaten today by a Springboks side that old mate (reporter) is calling the B team, right? I never knew there was a Springboks side that was called the B team.’
Jones departed England last year after a seven-year spell, with his final calendar year in charge being England’s worst 12 months since 2008, posting a record of six losses, one draw and five wins.
Speaking exclusively to Mail Sport in January, Jones claimed that he knew England were going to sack him even while he was still in charge.
Watch every Test match and World Cup game, ad-free, live and on demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport.
Rugby Australia, meanwhile, confirmed Davis, a former Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats player, would be stepping away from the Wallabies squad to deal with a personal matter.
Davis was recruited by Jones from London Irish rugby club, where he had worked as a defense coach having worked at a suite of other big rugby clubs in England after playing 215 games in the Super League.
His departure leaves the Wallabies scrambling for a new attack coach for the World Cup campaign which hasn’t begun well for Jones.
Recently departed Wallabies attack coach Brad Davis during a training session at Sanctuary Cove
Emerging scrum-half Tate McDermott was a shock selection as Wallabies vice captain
Prop Taniela Tupou looms as a key figure for Australia in the World Cup in France
Veteran openside flanker Michael Hooper was a shock omission after Eddie Jones named his final World Cup squad
The Wallabies lost all four games in the Rugby Championship, including back-to-back defeats by New Zealand as the All Blacks secured another Bledisloe Cup.
A World Cup warm-up match is scheduled against France this weekend, the last chance to get a victory before the tournament begins.
Will Skelton is the new captain, with emerging halfback Tate McDermott to serve as Skelton’s deputy.
Australia’s first World Cup game is against Georgia on September 10 at 2am AEST.
