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Follow league's lead: Jones's remedy
Adrian Proszenko
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Former Queensland coach Eddie Jones says rugby needs to follow league if the code is to pull itself out of the doldrums in Australia.
Jones ended speculation about his future at the Reds during the week by resigning and intends to move his family to England.
The former Wallabies coach said league was far better at cultivating talent, particularly in Queensland.
"There is plenty to learn from rugby league," he said. "You can learn from all sports and the position of league and union have changed considerably in the last three years.
"The NRL is a very healthy competition that is attracting good crowds and a good standard of play.
"League has had a head start [in cultivating talent] and they're doing it extremely well. You only have to look up in Brisbane.
"Basically, we've got the Raiders, Storm, the Titans, the Cowboys, the Bulldogs and obviously the Broncos, all objectively pursuing kids between the ages of 15 and 18.
"In rugby, we're relying on those kids coming through of their own volition. That's not going to happen any more.
"Kids are being offered scholarships, first-year-out-of-school contracts. Rugby has to compete in that area so it can maintain the best players. We need to be doing that.
"In the last league grand final, 27 of the 34 players were born in Queensland. There's plenty of talent up here so what Queensland [rugby] needs to do is get the right talent ID and development programs in place.
"If we can cultivate those players, I can see a very successful future for Queensland. That would also be a good result for Australian rugby."
Jones has been a vocal critic of the ARU and of Australian rugby. But he believes better times are ahead.
"Everyone acknowledges we've gone through a down period, but for every down period there's an up period," he said. "You can see that happening now. There's a nice generation of young players and coaches coming through, which will get an opportunity in the next cycle.
"There's going to be a new coach and new CEO after the World Cup, so there's a nice process of change happening in Australian rugby."
Despite his running feud with national coach John Connolly and the patchy form of the national side, Jones believes the Wallabies can be a force at the World Cup.
"If we field our best 22 to 25 players, if they are fit and ready to go, we'll go well," he said.
"You always want to get to the semi-finals, then you're into the money end of the tournament and you're a chance to make the final. It's important to get there in the best form."
Jones, who has consultancy contracts with English club Saracens and Suntory in Japan, has been sounded out by a Six Nations side.
Samoa, Fiji and Tonga have also approached him about helping them at the World Cup, but he won't make a decision about his future until he finishes commitments with the Reds on July 19 and won't let speculation about his future unnerve him.
"It is part of the job," he said. "That's coaching."
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Was the wait worth it - Ya betta baby 
Originally Posted by frontrow
Brother Gallagher I hear you 
