Under-fire Jones rants at ‘negativity’ as Wallabies head to World Cup

Australia’s rugby team head coach Eddie Jones speaks to media at the Sydney International Airport on 17 August 2023, as the team prepares to depart for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France - AFP

SYDNEY, AFP: Under-pressure Wallabies coach Eddie Jones on Thursday lashed out at “all the negativity” as the team departed for the World Cup after what he called the “worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby”.

The flailing Australian team is heading to France on the back of four straight defeats since the former England boss took over.

In a bid to get their campaign back on track, Jones named an inexperienced squad last week, shocking pundits by dumping veterans Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper and handing the captaincy to Will Skelton.

Jones is adamant there needs to be a generational change and didn’t hold back at Sydney airport when he was peppered with questions about their chances. “I can’t believe all the negativity here boys,” he said. “I know what’s wrong with Australian rugby and part of you blokes are the problem because you’re so bloody negative about everything.

“We’re going off the World Cup and you think we can’t win, you think the selection process is bad because some players can’t play. So I apologise for that.

Australia will open their World Cup campaign against Georgia in Paris on September 9 before facing Fiji, Wales and Portugal in Pool C.

Only eight players in the 33-man squad have played at a World Cup before, with three debutants including scrum-half Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 18-year-old back Max Jorgensen, and prop Blake Schoupp.