Eddie Jones has hit out at the media as “part of the problem” with Australian rugby in an extraordinary press conference rant.
The Wallabies flew out of Sydney on Thursday morning to begin their preparations for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, which begins on 8 September.
Jones and his team have been hit by another crisis ahead of the tournament after attack coach Brad Davis left suddenly for “family reasons”.
The head coach, who was re-appointed as Australia head coach in January, last week named an inexperienced final squad of 33 for the tournament, leaving out regular captain Michael Hooper and veteran playmaker Quade Cooper.
Speaking to assembled members of the Australian press corps at Sydney Airport, Jones – who was wearing a Crocodile Dundee hat – claimed that the questions about his selection decisions were “so negative” and insisted his side would prove the journalists wrong.
“I know what’s wrong with Australian rugby and you blokes are part of the problem because you’re so bloody negative about everything,” Jones said.
“We’re going off to a World Cup you think we can’t 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. If you haven’t got anything positive to say don’t ask please.”
“Tell us we’re terrible and we will prove you wrong. I can feel this negativity, I’ve got to wash myself off, it’s sticking to me. Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby. Well done, the worst I’ve ever seen.”
While Hooper’s omission was partly due to concerns over the flanker’s fitness, Cooper was a straight selection call, with Jones surprisingly opting for youngster Carter Gordon and the versatile Ben Donaldson as his fly half options.
The omission of Cooper, 35, all but ends his international career after the creative ten had forced his way back into the Australia set-up under Dave Rennie, Jones’s predecessor.
Jones revealed that he had been unable to get in touch with Cooper since cutting him from his squad.
“I tried to ring him and I can’t get a hold of him – that’s all I can do,” Jones explained after the fly half was also not included in an Australia A squad that will face Portugal on 26 August.
“If I ring them and they won’t ring back, what do you want me to do?” Jones added. “What do you want me to do? Tell me. Well why keep asking about it?”
The Wallabies, meanwhile, face France at the Stade de France a day later in their final warm-up fixture before they begin their World Cup against Georgia in Paris on 9 September.
The departure of Davis, who had overseen Australia’s attack for only four games after joining Jones’s staff earlier this year, is further upheaval for a side who are yet to win this year, but Jones played down the impact of the coach’s exit.
“There’s an opportunity for us,” Jones said. “We’ll improve our coaching staff. There’s a potential candidate ready to step up now.
“We’ve got the right squad now, we’ve got the right balance of energy, enthusiasm and youth on our side; we’re ready to go,” he said. “Yesterday our training was the best I’ve seen by a mile ... we’re ready to show the world what we can do.”
Australia also face Wales, Fiji and Portugal in Pool C at the World Cup.
