Eddie Jones says that he didn’t “feel any guilt at all” about changing into Japan’s head coach, six weeks after he walked out on the Wallabies.
Jones left Australia after main them to a dismal displaying on the Rugby World Cup, and repeatedly denied studies that he was set to take over in Japan.
Australian media had reported that the 63-year-old had interviewed for the job in the course of the Wallabies’ World Cup marketing campaign in France.
On Thursday night time Jones lastly confronted a grilling by reporters.
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Jones’s appointment on Wednesday sparked a livid response within the Southern Hemisphere, with former All Blacks nice Sonny Bill Williams branding the coach “a disgrace”.
Jones stated he didn’t remorse his actions, telling reporters “it sits well with me”.
“I wish Australia all the best,” he advised a packed press convention in Tokyo.
“I feel terrible about the results, because I wanted to go back and change Australia.
“But I don’t feel any guilt at all about this process.”
Jones repeated his declare that he had not interviewed for the Japan job till December.
He stated his on-line assembly with a recruitment firm shortly earlier than the World Cup was to “share my experiences of Japan”.
He stated he was requested within the September assembly to supply a advice to JRFU about who the governing physique ought to goal for its subsequent head coach. A couple of months later it’s Jones that’s been given the place.
His feedback didn’t go the scent check with some commentators, nonetheless, there was additionally some help for Jones in feedback made by followers on social media.
The Daily Telegraph’s Jamie Pandaram wrote Jones’ options in regards to the September dialog had been “a bit rich”.
“The 63-year-old tried to hoodwink Wallabies fans, and now, no matter how he tries to spin it, he can’t be believed.
“Jones, who told media in October that he hadn’t spoken to any recruitment firm, confirmed he had indeed, spoken to a recruitment firm.”
Jones stated “everyone is entitled to their own opinion” however he didn’t really feel the necessity to apologise to Australian followers.
“The only thing I can control is what I did, and it sits well with me — I don’t have a problem with it,” he stated.
“If people feel like that, that’s their judgement. I can’t control that.”
Jones give up the Wallabies after two wins from 9 Tests since taking up in January, together with a worst-ever World Cup efficiency the place they did not make it out of the pool section.
His insistence on fast-tracking rookies on the expense of veterans badly backfired in high-pressure video games, as did a revolving door of unproven captains.
Jones will formally start his second stint in command of Japan on January 1. He beforehand coached them for 3 years from 2012 and led them to their historic win over South Africa on the 2015 World Cup.
Jones stated his intention was to show Japan right into a group “that has a real identity”.
“Any great team in any sport, it doesn’t matter what shirt they play in, you can see clearly the team that they are,” he stated.
“I think we need to develop that with Japan, so that’s going to be one of the major focuses going forward.”
Under Jones, Japan surprised South Africa 34-32 in a match that grew to become often known as the “Miracle of Brighton”.
That was solely Japan’s second win at a World Cup, and so they additionally went on to beat Samoa and the USA that yr earlier than exiting on the pool stage.
They reached the quarter-finals on house soil in 2019 below Jones’s successor Jamie Joseph, however exited on the group stage at this yr’s event in France.
Jones focused a return to the World Cup knock-out spherical in 2027 and stated Japan “need to play the game faster than the opposition”.
— with AFP
Source: www.news.com.au
