In October 2023, Eddie Jones fronted a packed media conference at his beloved Coogee Oval.
“Are you staying or going?” a reporter asked the Wallabies coach, who’d just presided over Australia’s worst performance in a World Cup.
“Staying, mate,” said Jones, who was on contract with Rugby Australia until 2027. “I’ve always been committed to Australian rugby.”
That wasn’t true. Jones had been preparing to say sayonara to Australian rugby from the moment he agreed to take part in a first-round interview with the Japanese Rugby Football Union, two months earlier, while in France on duty as Wallabies coach.
Jones denied this masthead’s story for months as RA boss Phil Waugh’s leadership came under scrutiny for refusing to seek clarification from Japan about whether they were attempting to poach the organisation’s highest-paid employee.
On Tuesday afternoon, the irony was not lost on anyone watching Jones emerge from the visiting Coogee Oval change rooms wearing a grey Japan polo shirt.
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and Australian great Simon Poidevin at Coogee Oval on Tuesday.Credit: Louie Douvis
Jones is back in charge of Japan’s national side. He was in Sydney to coach Japan’s under-23s team in a match against Randwick – the club he bled for as a young hooker.
It marked Jones’ first trip to Australia since his exit as Wallabies coach, one which left many fans furious.
The 65-year-old loves returning to the seaside suburb and the Randwick club enjoys welcoming him back. In the past three years, Jones has worn England, Australian and Japanese shirts on Coogee Oval. It is also expected Japan will be based in Coogee ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Some of Jones’ closest mates in rugby were upset that he walked away from Wallabies with four years remaining on his contract.
Eddie Jones looks on as Japan’s under-23s side warm up for a clash with Randwick. Credit: Louie Douvis
“Deception, lying, duplicity. He’s deceived the Australian rugby public,” Phil Kearns, Jones’ old Randwick teammate, said in late 2023.
On the whole, it was a warm reception for one of Randwick’s favourite sons on Tuesday. The car crash of 2023 and what followed appear to have been forgiven – at least by the Randwick faithful.
Was Jones worried about the reception he might receive?
“Not at Randwick, mate,” Jones told reporters after the match, which Randwick won 36-31 thanks to a magnificent last-play try from Christian Yassmin.
There was a different demeanour about Jones this time. The combative coach who told the same reporters 18 months earlier to “give yourselves an uppercut” on the eve of the World Cup has softened following a stint with the Wallabies that couldn’t have gone much worse.
Jones has attempted to rewrite history since then. He said at that Coogee Oval press conference 18 months ago he’d never spoken to a recruiter about the Japan job.
He later conceded he did.
The infamous Zoom interview, in which Jones accepted the invitation from a personal email address, was titled: “JRFU 1st Round Interviews with M15 HC [head coach] Candidates.”
Screenshots show the JRFU’s Zoom meeting room titled ‘First round interview, Eddie Jones’, and the personal email address from which Jones accepted the invitation.Credit: Illustration: Aresna Villanueva
“I don’t have any wounds,” Jones said on Tuesday. “You make decisions, you move on with it. People can think what they want. I can sit pretty quietly at night and be comfortable with myself.”
Jones is still adored at Randwick. Wallabies great Simon Poidevin, one of Jones’ closest mates, was on hand to ensure the event ran smoothly, while two Ella brothers – Glen and Gary – watched on.
Former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan, who was in charge when Jones’ secret Japan dealings were revealed, slipped into a suite featuring other distinguished guests who ate smoked salmon canapes and gourmet sausage rolls.
Former Wallaby Glen Ella in the stands at Coogee Oval. Credit: Louie Douvis
World Cup-winning Wallabies captain Nick-Farr Jones was there enjoying a can of VB, while incoming Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Mark Arbib watched from the western side of the ground.
Jones mingled with kids and adults before and after kick-off, with plenty of handshakes and photos to go around. He was enjoying the moment.
“I was born and bred as a club player, so to come back occasionally like this is just fun,” Jones said. “You want to keep making it fun. Sometimes it’s difficult for it to be fun.”
Japan, who went behind Australia’s back to sign Jones, thought they had lured back a world-class coach.
So far, the results have been underwhelming.
Jones speaks to Japanese players ahead of their match. Credit: Louie Douvis
Japan won just four of 11 Tests in 2024, with those victories coming against Canada, USA, Samoa and Uruguay. Jones won two of his nine Tests with Australia and three of his last 10 with England in 2022.
Things became so dire the JRFU admitted they considered sacking Jones less than a year into his new tenure.
“We’ve got plenty of work to do,” Jones said. “I am enjoying the challenge.”
Eddie Jones addresses players inside the Coogee Oval changerooms.Credit: Louie Douvis
The Wallabies have a Test against Japan in Tokyo in late October, the first under a new coach following Joe Schmidt’s Rugby Championship exit.
“Joe’s a very good coach,” Jones said. “[Joseph-Aukuso] Suaalii has come in and he is like two players. Some of the young guys are starting to come through and some of the older guys have come back and played well. Tommy Wright and Jake Gordon have come back and played really well.
“I think it’s promising for them.”
In the final minutes of Tuesday’s exhibition match, as a rainbow appeared over Coogee Oval, Randwick ran the ball from their try line, searching for a five-pointer to break the 31-31 deadlock.
Felix Turinui, son of former Wallaby Morgan, pulled off a beautiful cross-field kick to Yassmin, who scored the match-winner for Randwick after full-time on the same turf where the Galloping Greens once played the All Blacks (1986) and Argentina (2019).
It was a quintessential Randwick backline move – and it made Jones smile.
“For Randwick to have a mid-week game like this is great for their spirit,” Jones said.
