Under-fire Eddie Jones knows the knives are out as he stands on disaster’s edge ahead of Australia’s Rugby World Cup showdown with Wales

• Australia will go head to head with Australia on Sunday in what is a must-win tie
• Defeat after a shock loss to Fiji would almost definitely end Jones’ side’s journey
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The plush lobby at the Golden Tulip Hotel on the outskirts of Lyon was packed with journalists on Friday morning. The assembled media had all made an early start to speak to one man.

‘Are you just here for the Eddie show?’ asked Australia’s media manager, the sun shining through the glass windows and reflecting off the marble floor.

That much was obvious. The man himself did not disappoint. In a near half-hour press conference, Wallabies and former England head coach Eddie Jones came out firing ahead of his team’s must-win World Cup clash with Wales on Sunday.

Jones has never been afraid to go head-to-head with the press. ‘You get more people when they smell blood,’ he quipped, surveying a packed first-floor room.

‘We’ve got 10 times more people here than we normally do for an Australian press conference because people smell blood. That makes it even more exciting.’

Eddie Jones was on fine form with the media ahead of his Australia side’s game against Wales

The Wallabies go into Sunday’s game knowing a defeat will almost certainly put them out of the World Cup

Australia suffered a surprising defeat to Fiji in their second game last week and can’t afford another loss

Jones then proceeded to fire off a series of shots his cricketing idol Greg Chappell would have been proud of, insisting he was entirely to blame for his team’s dicey current predicament.

‘I’ve let Australian rugby down. I haven’t done the job I was brought in to do,’ said Jones, whose team is on the verge of an early World Cup exit after just one win in seven games under his guidance.

‘I was brought in to turn it around. I feel that responsibility. I apologise for the results. I can get down on my knees and do the Japanese thing (apologise by lowering yourself to the floor) if you want me to? I can’t apologise more guys. I’m really sorry we haven’t had better results.’

Jones is used to criticism. But the vitriol he has taken in the last week has been especially strong in the wake of Australia’s 22-15 defeat by Fiji.

Wales and Warren Gatland are looking to heap on more pain.

‘I don’t try to make myself out as a saint,’ Jones continued. ‘I’ve been coaching for 30 years. I know what’s coming. When you coach, you make a choice to put yourself in these positions. I could be teaching.

‘I could have a nice life where the wife puts the packed lunch in the bag every morning, I put a shirt and tie on, know I’m going to teach six periods, come home, wash the dog, clean the car, watch Channel 7 or ABC news and then get the packed lunch ready for the next day.

‘I could have done that. But I made a choice to coach. I love winning. I don’t know if it’s a drug, but that’s the rush you get from coaching.’

Jones apologised for his role in Australia’s poor run of results since he took over as head coach

After being sacked by England last December, Jones was parachuted in by Rugby Australia supremo Hamish McLennan to save the sport in a country where it struggles badly for popularity. It hasn’t happened. 

One of the overriding themes of Jones’ career has been his ability to get his teams immediately firing upon joining them. He has been a specialist in the ‘dead cat bounce’.

Jones did exactly that with England in 2016, but there is a good argument to say he has made Australia worse not better since succeeding Dave Rennie, who was harshly booted out. ‘Sorry. I don’t want to be arrogant to you,’ Jones said to one Australian journalist, when asked about a possible replacement for his latest injury Max Jorgensen. ‘I know how sensitive you are.’

He added: ‘If we beat Wales on Sunday we’re alive and that’s all we’ve got to be. I’ve got no doubt we’ll win. I’ve been brought in to change Australian rugby. The results haven’t been good. But I think I’m 100 per cent doing the right thing. I’m bringing through a young team. We needed to move players on.’

In an X-rated rant earlier this week, former Wallabies star Drew Mitchell slammed Jones’ decision to leave out experienced figures Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his squad for France. Australia have struggled without them and Jones’ relationship with the country’s media is touchy to say the least. He slammed Wallaby journalists last month, telling them to ‘give yourselves uppercuts’ at his World Cup departure press conference at Sydney Airport. 

Jones has problems on and off the field. A loss to Wales on Sunday would leave him facing an embarrassing early World Cup exit and he must try to find a way to get one over on his old adversary Gatland without his two key injured forwards Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou. You sense it is going to be a difficult task.

Warren Gatland’s Wales side, meanwhile, are top of the Pool having won their first two games

Australia will need to play better than they have been if they are to qualify for the next stage

It was 4.30am last Wednesday when Neil Hatley’s phone buzzed for the first time that day.

The name which flashed up was all too familiar. Jones has always liked to keep his assistant coaches on their toes with a crack-of-dawn message. Hatley is used to it by now.

‘I’ve worked with him (Jones) for five years and he’s sharp every day,’ said Hatley, who has been part of Jones’ teams with both England and Australia.

‘That’s not blowing smoke up his backside. He’s just that sort of individual. He’s got great belief in preparation and leaves no stone unturned. That’s how he works.’

Jones’ methods – on the whole – haven’t changed. But his results have.

Jones is known for texting his assistant coaches early in the morning, with those who have worked with him saying it is ‘standard’

Neil Hartley, Jones’ current assistant, was messaged by the former England coach at 4:15am last Wednesday

Those who have worked with Jones say the early-morning texts are ‘standard’. After leading England to the 2019 World Cup final where they were beaten by South Africa, there can be no denying Jones’ numbers have since tailed off. RFU boss Bill Sweeney axed Jones last December. He ended with an England win rate of 73 per cent, but he claimed only six victories from 12 matches in the last of his seven years at the RFU.

His only victory with Australia to date is a World Cup-opening success over Georgia. 

Australia have changed their way of playing under Jones and struggled to adapt. Rennie favoured a more attacking approach while Jones works on a strong kicking strategy. Last summer, when Australia were still coached by Rennie and Jones was with England, the two sides met in a three-Test series. England prevailed 2-1. The Wallabies ran plenty of ball in those three matches, producing just 63 kicks from hand across the three games. By contrast, Australia kicked 40 times alone in their Georgia win.

In their 22-15 defeat by Fiji, the Wallabies kicked 29 times. It is a marked shift in style. In many ways, Jones’ approach is distinctly un-Australian. The country has always favoured attacking rugby.

‘At the end of the World Cup there’ll be a review,’ said Jones, who has been linked with a return to Japan but will almost certainly stay with Australia for their home World Cup in 2027. Before that, the Wallabies will host the British & Irish Lions in 2025. Australian rugby sources say Jones is laying the pathway for what he hopes will be World Cup glory in 2027 by blooding young players and ditching Cooper and Hooper.

But the reality is it has led to trouble now. Jones continued: ‘Given the results we’ve had, maybe Australian Rugby doesn’t want to keep me. That’s the reality of the job and I understand that. I don’t know of any team where you can come in and blow magic over. You’ve got to go through a process.

‘You’ve got to find out what’s wrong with the team and then you’ve got to try to address those problems. I don’t think anyone ever accepts a rebuild. Sometimes there’s some pain before you get some success. I sit here very comfortable feeling like I’m doing the job I should be doing.’

Jones claims he is comfortable in his rule but results will have to improve or he may not be for too long

Jones might be comfortable. But he has not helped himself with his outbursts and selections, his latest move being to leave out his only specialist No 10 Carter Gordon for the Wales game.

It has all amounted to a chaotic Australian rugby landscape. Beat Wales and the Wallabies can still reach the World Cup’s quarter-finals. But lose, and Jones’ side is almost certain to head home before the party even really gets started in France.

Jones is in his second stint as Australia boss having led them to the 2003 final. He claims he likes nothing more than when it’s all on the line.

Sunday, we will find out if he and his Australia team can do it when it matters most.

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