More Coaches Sacked and Hired: Dave Rennie Gone From Australia and Eddie Jones Hired
The most interesting rugby story to come out of the weekend was the move of Eddie Jones to Australia as coach, as Dave Rennie got the sack in Australia. Jones had been England’s coach but was sacked and there was speculation around his final destination, it’s now confirmed to be Australia. Here are some of the articles on the subject from around the rugby world.
The Rugby Football Union decided against inserting a clause in Eddie Joness severance package to prevent him coaching Englands rivals at the World Cup this year for legal and moral reasons, it can be revealed, after he was appointed by Australia.
Jones was confirmed on Sunday night as the new Wallabies head coach, marking a stunning return to the post he left in 2005 and raising the tantalising prospect of returning to haunt his former employers in the knockout stages of the World Cup this year.
He officially takes up the role on 29 January, a little over seven weeks after he was sacked by the RFU, with Rugby Australia parachuting Jones in at the first available opportunity.
The 62-year-old is returning as head coach on a four-year deal in place of the sacked Dave Rennie, having previously led the team from 2001 to 2005 and oversaw the 2003 World Cup final defeat to England.
Joness seven-year tenure in charge of England ended in December with his sacking after a run of results in 2022 that included six defeats and a draw in 12 matches.
Jones, who will also oversee Australias womens team the Wallaroos, will begin his new job on January 29th, with the mens World Cup starting in France in September.
Earlier this month, Rennie said there was no chance of Jones working with the Wallabies at the World Cup.
At the time it was believed Rennie, who is contracted until the end of the year, had survived the axe following a poor Wallabies year which yielded five wins from 14 tests. Had the Wallabies not scored a late win against Wales in their final game of the spring tour, it would have been their worst year since 1958.
It has now been revealed that Rugby Australia have ditched Rennie. Jones, who was recently sacked as England coach after a string of poor results late last year, is an Australian.
Rugby Australia issued a statement following the news that Rennie had been axed.
I would like to thank Dave for his hard work and effort with the Wallabies we are grateful for all that he has done for Australian Rugby, Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos said.
Former England boss Eddie Jones was appointed the new Australia coach on Monday in “a major coup” after Dave Rennie was sacked, and vowed to steer them to Rugby World Cup glory in France this year.
It will be the veteran’s second stint in charge after his 2001-2005 spell during which he took the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup final, where they lost to England.
New Zealander Rennie, who took over from Michael Cheika at the end of 2019, was shown the door just eight months out from the global showpiece after only five wins from 14 Tests last year.
Assistant coach Scott Wisemantel quit earlier this month.
Speculation had been rife that Jones, an Australian, would be brought into the Wallabies set-up, but Rennie last week ruled out working with him, saying “it won’t happen”.
Jones, who was dumped by England in December, will start on January 29 on a contract that will take him through until the 2027 World Cup in Australia and includes a home British & Irish Lions series in 2025
In what Rugby Australia called a world-first, he will also head up the national Wallaroos programme as the governing body pushes towards a professional future for the women’s game.
Jones said his immediate aim was to win the World Cup this year.
Rennie, who was off-contract after this year, denied suggestions he could team up with Jones ahead of the World Cup while also pouring cold water over speculation he had signed a deal in Japan.
But it was his refusal, at least publicly, to work with Jones that was particularly important.
The Times Alex Lowe reported that the writing was on the wall after Rennie refused to work with Jones.
In a choice between the two coaches, RA did not want to risk losing Jones to Japan, who had also made him an offer, Lowe wrote.
Im not an assistant coach, Rennie said, with reports linking Jones to the Wallabies job after he was axed as England coach.