Before he had coached a game for the Wallabies, Eddie Jones surveyed journalists about the problems with the side. Now, fans are left to ask the same question after his tenure has ended before his five-year tenure really got started.
Jones’s stint lasted less than 20% of the intended contract length - ten and a half months after he signed, Jones stepped away with a complicated legacy after his gamble to take youthful players failed to deliver the intended jackpot.
He was brought in to replace Dave Rennie, with the Kiwi’s 38% win rate touted as the determining factor for his replacement, despite the growth seen in the Wallabies program.
Ironically, Jones finishes his time with the worst record of an Australian coach, winning just two from nine games – just 22%.
The former England coach’s return to Australia was hailed as a ‘’ for the game, looking to return the Wallabies to playing an ‘Australian style of Rugby’
"We’ve got to develop that Australian style of game that everyone buys into, which is a combination of quality set-piece, an aggressive attacking mindset, and wanting to get the ball quickly when we don’t have it,” .
What followed was a style of Rugby that constantly evolved but never seemed to develop as preached. There was a kicking-heavy strategy to start the year against South Africa whilst the rolling maul, which had become a strength, fell away as games went on.
When Jones asked a collection of writers what the problems were, a bevy of issues were floated up before the coach decided that it was because the media weren’t tough enough on players. When results didn’t follow, that same pressure he asked for was directed toward the coach.