Eddie Jones: Union to take on league in rugby heartland
Coach Eddie Jones isn’t just taking on the world when the Wallabies compete for the Rugby Union World Cup in France in September. He’s also planning to take on rival football codes here in Australia by poaching even more talent from rugby league.
In an exclusive interview with The Australian Financial Review Magazine, the 63-year-old coach – known for his uncompromising leadership style – says his mission is to not just win this year’s World Cup but to also rejuvenate interest in the game.
It comes as his Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has earmarked “a big chunk” of proceeds from a potential private equity deal to develop the game in league heartland, including in western Sydney.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. The rugby league raid is about finding the best players, but also sending a message that rugby union is back. Nic Walker
“Australia is a sporting battle,” Mr Jones told AFR Magazine in an exclusive interview.
“There’s four winter sports. So how do you sell yourself? Great coaching at grass-roots level, and then successful iconic teams that people want to play for.”
This Saturday the Wallabies play arch-rivals the New Zealand All Blacks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The stakes are higher than usual after the Wallabies suffered successive defeats this month to South Africa and Argentina.
With the first World Cup game against Georgia 45 days away, disillusioned rugby fans are desperate to see signs of improvement.
Mr Jones’ appointment as Wallabies coach in January was one of several bold moves by Mr McLennan, who is exploring the option of private equity capital, or taking on debt, to grow the sport and support it financially.
Mr McLennan told the Financial Review: “If we get the result we want in private
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