Rugby-RA chairman says no shortage of replacements for ex-Wallabies coach Jones

Panasonic Holdings

01/11/2023 07:23

MELBOURNE, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Rugby Australia chairman
Hamish McLennan said that there is plenty of interest in the
Wallabies' head coaching role after Eddie Jones' exit and that
the position will be open to foreign candidates.
    The organisation confirmed on Tuesday it had accepted
Jones's resignation as a "sensible outcome" after the Wallabies'
group-stage elimination from the World Cup, the nation's worst
performance in the tournament's history.
    McLennan said an Australian coach's knowledge of grass-roots
rugby in the country would be of value but added that Rugby
Australia (RA) wanted the best person for the job.
    "It’s around contracting, strength and conditioning, player
identification, so if you’ve grown up through the system, you
could argue that you might have a more intimate knowledge of
that," he said in comments published by the Sydney Morning
Herald on Wednesday. "But we want the best coach so the rugby
committee is going to run that process. I can tell you, there’s
no shortage of high-quality coaches that want to come and coach
the Wallabies."
    New Zealander Robbie Deans, who coached Australia from
2008-13, ruled out another stint in the job.
    "You don't go back," the Panasonic Wild Knights coach said
on Wednesday in Brisbane.
    Former ACT Brumbies coach Dan McKellar, now coaching in
England, is seen as among the strongest candidates to replace
Jones, along with current Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.
    McLennan was instrumental in appointing Jones, who replaced
Dave Rennie after the New Zealander was sacked as Wallabies
coach in January.
    Jones was appointed weeks after being fired by England.
    Australian media have called on McLennan to resign over
Jones' failure in his second stint coaching the Wallabies but
the chairman said he was not for quitting.
    "Our performance at the World Cup was a setback and I’m not
gilding the lily, but the truth of the matter is, we’ve got a
board and a management team that know what needs to be done," he
said.
    
    

 (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Gerry Doyle)
 ((ian.ransom@thomsonreuters.com; Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/MyRansomNotes;
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