It comes as former Wallaby Morgan Turinui implored Jones to be upfront and honest about whether he took part in a Zoom interview for the Brave Blossoms head coach role, which would start next year.<\/p>\n
Jones is under fire after the Herald<\/em> revealed the Wallabies boss had sat in on a secret online interview on August 25, a fortnight out from Australia\u2019s World Cup opener against Georgia.<\/p>\n After signing a five-year contract in January, Jones has tried to brush away the news that has created headlines across the rugby world.<\/p>\n Jones has been asked about the interview with Japan \u2013 and if he had a second interview lined up \u2013 but told reporters he did not know what they were talking about. He threatened to walk out of a press conference if a reporter asked one more question about the story.<\/p>\n The Wallabies were smashed 40-6 by Wales and are set to exit a Rugby World Cup in the pool stages for the first time, unless a number of results go their way.<\/p>\n Hamish McLennan and Eddie Jones.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Steven Siewert, Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n Australia have one more match remaining against Portugal on Sunday (Monday 1.45am ADST).<\/p>\n Speaking on Stan Sport\u2019s Between Two Posts<\/em> program from France, Mehrtens admitted it was not a great look for Jones.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks horrific, doesn\u2019t it,\u201d Merhtens said. \u201cCoaches are looking for opportunities \u2013 the same as national unions and clubs are looking for coaches at any time. You can\u2019t just suddenly do it at the last minute.<\/p>\n \u201cThe timing of it just looks horrible. He [Jones] has come out with that patriotic flag-waving and [staying on] through to 2027, [saying] we\u2019re going to do this and that. Until people know, they\u2019re going to assume or speculate that it might have been about jumping ship sooner than that and going there, which looks awful in the context.\u201d<\/p>\n Turinui also shared his thoughts on the story and revealed that it was his understanding Jones has a \u201cstanding offer\u201d to go back to Japan. Jones coached the Japan national side from 2012 to 2015.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Eddie needs to come out and directly say, \u2018no, I didn\u2019t do a Zoom interview with Japan\u2019, or \u2018yes I did and refused their offer\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m giving advice to the Japanese rugby president\u2019,\u201d Turinui said.<\/p>\n \u201cRemember, he coached in Japan [at Suntory] all through his England period. Or he says, \u2018I\u2019m considering jumping\u2019. We need to know \u2026 when he says he\u2019s committed to being in Australian rugby, that he is truly committed.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has a standing offer to go back there. He has for years.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe it\u2019s hurt more because of the way we have mentioned the parochial nature of the appointment in the last six months. Donned the Akubra, put the RMs on, talking about being Australian and what it means, going to Arnhem Land \u2026 so maybe [because of] that [it] feels more like a betrayal than [just] a coach discussing what other options there might be. It\u2019s the least organised I\u2019ve ever seen an Eddie Jones environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Morgan Turinui and Eddie Jones in Wallabies camp in London in 2004.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Mehrtens also took aim at Rugby Australia executives over their role in where the game finds itself.<\/p>\n Chairman Hamish McLennan and chief executive Phil Waugh are facing scrutiny after overseeing Australia\u2019s most difficult World Cup campaign ever.<\/p>\n McLennan was instrumental in the bold call to bring Jones back to Australia.<\/p>\n After intense criticism of the team following Australia\u2019s loss to Fiji, McLennan told the Herald<\/em>: \u201cFor all the Wallaby detractors, don\u2019t watch the game.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t see a lot of humility at the top level. Humility is important,\u201d Merhtens said. \u201c[It is about] actually analysing and taking genuine responsibility for decisions that are made. I think the perceptions from people, whether right or wrong \u2026 it\u2019s an old boys club in there. Whether it\u2019s Shore or the GPS schools, yes it\u2019s been a strong base for Australian rugby and we have got to continue to nurture that, but people don\u2019t see a lot of humility.<\/p>\n \u201cThey see cronyism a lot of the time and if that\u2019s the perception of the public, then you\u2019ve got to work bloody hard to change that perception because something is not right.<\/p>\n \u201c[It is about] acknowledging mistakes and moving forward and if that means there has to be some blood spilled at the highest level, well there has to be blood spilled.\u201d<\/p>\n Turinui added: \u201cHave we learned that blood-spilling doesn\u2019t work? I think the executives and the board, and Hamish and Phil, I think like the Wallabies and all of us have been humbled and need to be humbled. We need to change the way we talk about the game right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch all the action from <\/b>Rugby World Cup 2023<\/b> on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match streaming ad-free, live and in 4K UHD with replays, mini matches and highlights available on demand.<\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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