Wallabies great Drew Mitchell hits Eddie Jones with X-rated rant as he lists awful decisions the coach must explain to Aussie fans
Eddie Jones faced added pressure yesterday (WEDS) as Australia’s former superstars turned on the Wallaby and former England head coach ahead of a must-win World Cup clash against Wales.
As King Charles and Queen Camilla landed in Paris for a three-day state visit to tournament host France, the crown that Jones has worn for so long as one of rugby’s most decorated figures was slipped a little further. Nearly 300 miles from the French capital, Jones felt new knives in his back.
In an X-rated speech, former Wallabies ace Drew Mitchell took aim at his country’s head coach following Australia’s defeat to Fiji. Mitchell criticized Jones for leaving out experienced figures Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his World Cup squad and causing his side to suffer badly as a result.
Australia and Jones face almost certain elimination from the tournament if they are beaten by Warren Gatland’s Wales in Lyon on Sunday.
“Let’s not take away the fact that Fiji played very well,” Mitchell, who scored 34 tries in 71 Australian caps, told The Good, The Bad & The Rugby Australia podcast.
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Drew Mitchell has asked coach Eddie Jones to explain some of his decisions after the ex-Wallaby was left furious by the team’s performance against Fiji.
“But let’s also not forget the fact that we shouldn’t have lost to Fiji. Eddie sits there and says, “It’s my fault.” I take full responsibility for it.
“What the fuck does that mean?” It’s just a fucking empty line at a press conference. You made some egregious decisions regarding Quade and Michael.
“There have been six captains in seven weeks. Hell, explain some of these decisions to us because as fans we’re all sitting here scratching our heads.
“He gave no explanation as to why Quade isn’t there. Why isn’t Michael there?
“Now we see the result of you not picking some of these guys.”
With Hooper and Cooper left out of Jones’ World Cup squad last month, Australia are holding a youth party in France. They beat Georgia in Paris in their opening match.
But after being blown away by a powerful Fiji side, Jones now has just one win in seven matches since returning to the southern hemisphere after being sacked by England.
Yesterday, the Australian camp (WEDS) attempted to circle the wagons at their training base in Saint-Étienne as they tried to regroup and put aside attacks on Jones.
Mitchell claimed there was a lack of accountability in Wallabies coach’s decisions
The Australians now head into a do-or-die clash against undefeated Wales this Sunday.
With key forwards Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou injured for the crucial match against Wales, Jones is having problems on and off the field. Yesterday (WEDS), rookie fullback Max Jorgensen became the latest Wallaby to go down lame after suffering a serious ankle problem in training.
Scrum-half Tate McDermott is back fit for Wales, but regardless, it’s hard to escape the feeling that the wheels have already fallen off Australia’s World Cup chariot.
“The response has been very good,” said Wallabies scrum coach Neil Hatley, who previously worked alongside Jones with England. “Nothing was dodged or brushed aside.
“As a coach, I would rather not be in that position. But these are the weeks you coach. I would love to be in a position where we are already qualified and everything is going well.
Defending Jones, Hatley added: “Eddie has taken a much closer look at where he thinks Australian rugby is and what it needs moving forward. I have enormous confidence in the plan he is proposing.
McDermott admitted the scrutiny Jones faced had even led other World Cup teams and fans to turn their backs on Australia.
“What we’ve seen in every game in this World Cup is that, for whatever reason, teams don’t like us,” he said. “We accept that. This doesn’t bother us at all.
Gatland has none of the problems his former opponent Jones currently has.
Wales have injury problems due to flanker Tommy Reffell, who withdrew late from the match against Portugal with a calf problem.
Reffell trained separately from the main group last night (WEDS), as did co-captain Jac Morgan, prop Nicky Smith and fullback Leigh Halfpenny. Of those three, only Morgan is a sure starter against Australia and will be fit to do so. Wales manage Morgan’s workload at the start of the week. Prop Henry Thomas, who has not yet played in France, has returned to full training.
Unlike the Australian players, who were battered and bruised by Fiji, Wales’ first choice XV are well-rested for this weekend after the majority of them were absent during the 28-8 victory against Portugal.
Wales will name their squad for Australia tomorrow (Friday).
“We respect Australia as a rugby nation. They’re a wounded animal, they can be dangerous,” said Wales assistant coach Jonathan Thomas, “who insisted his side still had all 33 players in contention to face Jones’ men. Wales lead Pool C with a perfect score of 10 points from two matches.
Having beaten Fiji and Portugal with four bonus tries, a third successive victory of any kind would seal Wales’ passage to the quarter-finals with one match remaining.
“If you would have told us we would have 10 points after the first two games, I think everyone would have bitten your hand off,” center George North said.
“It’s a huge game that we have to win on Sunday.
They (Australia) are suffering after Fiji.
“To be honest, I’m sure they won’t change much. It will be a fast and physical match and we have to be ready for Sunday.
The quality we have now is really visible.
“If we get a result on Sunday it would be huge.”