Brace yourself Frontrow!

[Burgs]

Eddie drops in to help Boks

By Peter Jenkins
July 25, 2007

FORMER Australia coach Eddie Jones is in South Africa to assist one of the Wallabies' most threatening Rugby World Cup rivals.

Jones has flown to Cape Town to spend a week with the Springboks at the invitation of one-time Test coaching rival Jake White.

Sacked from the Wallabies job at the end of 2005 before coaching Queensland this season, Jones has stopped off in the Republic on his way to a new appointment at English club Saracens.

"I have always found Eddie's analysis of us to be the most difficult to counter and I have huge respect for his technical knowledge," White told South African journalists.

"As Boks coach, Eddie's Wallabies were the toughest of all our opposition and that was down to his strategic approach and fantastic knowledge of the game.

"It is a professional game and if someone of Eddie's ability is available as a short-term consultant then I am going to make use of him."

But Jones's connection with the Springboks is likely to cause angst in Australian circles, with the Wallabies facing a potential meet ing with South Africa in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals.

The top finisher in Australia's pool - most likely the Wallabies or Wales - will play the second-placed side in South Africa's pool - most likely the Springboks or England. The reverse will also apply.

[no.8]

They definately going to win the world cup now, if only we had kept him!

[The EnForcer]

Eddie sure does want to make friends in Australia doesn't he!

[Burgs]

I think he may have accepted his lot in life is to never coach in Australia again TEF...

[Thequeerone]

Don't know - if the Boks win - he'd have the last laugh - cunning bugger ain't he

[Burgs]

Jones draws fire for Boks gig

By Peter Jenkins
July 26, 2007

FORMER Australia coach Eddie Jones was embroiled in bitter verbal warfare with ARU chief John O'Neill after flying to South Africa to assist the nation's World Cup campaign.

Jones has joined the South Africans in camp for a week, at the invitation of one-time arch-rival Jake White, and was decked out in a Springboks tracksuit at his first session on Monday.

O'Neill suggested Jones' approach was mercenary - especially with the Wallabies potentially meeting the Boks in the World Cup quarter-final - but also said the controversial recruitment could backfire on the South Africans.

"It's not something you would expect of a former Australian coach," O'Neill said.

"He would argue, 'I'm a professional coach'.

"I would just put a caveat in there that you've got to be a bit more discerning.

"In a sense it tells you the game has changed and coaches will take on jobs driven by other motives other than loyalty and patriotism.

"This is a quite definitive eyes-wide-open move by Eddie to go and advise the Springboks, amongst other things, on how to beat the Wallabies."

O'Neill also took aim at the man sacked as Wallabies coach after a disastrous tour to Europe in November 2005 by claiming he might not necessarily be of any use to the Boks.

"I don't think it should in any way alarm the Wallabies," O'Neill said, before adding cryptically. "It might be helpful.

"I'm not sure whether Eddie's going to be able to offer any particularly useful insights and the combination of Jake White and Eddie Jones is certainly interesting -- Sideshow Bob (White) and the Beaver (Jones).

"I found it a bit amusing to tell the truth."

Jones hit back from South Africa last night, saying: "John is entitled to his opinion but it's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.

"He went from being the CEO of Australian rugby to being the CEO of Australian soccer, which is a direct competitor. That was OK in his eyes."

Asked if his consultancy to the Boks could be extended to include a position on the South African coaching staff at the World Cup, Jones refused to rule out the possibility.

"I've been friends with Jake White for quite a while," he said.

"I'm just en route to the UK (to take up a job at English club Saracens) and called in to give him some ideas."

Jones bristled at suggestions he would pass on sensitive information about the Wallabies.

"It's a long time since I've coached Australia," he argued.

"I've moved on. I don't have any insights into the Wallabies. I haven't been involved with them since November 2005.

"The game we played then is different to the game they play now."

O'Neill countered that Jones was in the Australian set-up as coach of Queensland Reds until just two months ago.

"If this had occurred in a couple of years time you might have said he's been out of Australian rugby for a fair while and so be it.

"But I think the proximity is too close. It does make me wonder whether he thought it through clearly enough. It'a very curious decision.

"The argument would be that it's now a professional game, you go to the highest bidder and a job is a job.

"I think that's a pretty clinical and rather sad reflection of where the game may have ended up."

Jones said he would not apologise for pursuing his career even if it did take him offshore.

"While you'll always have the softest part of your heart for the country where you were brought up, the fact is you move on if you have opportunities to coach in other countries," he said.

"Otherwise what do I do? Go back to being a school teacher?

"Someone said to me have I done this sort of thing before. Well, I have coached Japan and helped Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

"If you look at soccer, Guus Hiddink coached Korea before the Socceroos. He also coached the Netherlands and he's now coaching Russia.

"That's four nations at the top level and I think rugby is moving that way. The reality is I'm a professional coach."

Current Wallabies coach John Connolly refused to comment on the Jones issue: "I'm saying nothing at all."

[Burgs]

A fair bit of interesting discussion here, mostly turning on O'Neill rather than Eddie bashing too interestingly!
http://blogs.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...d_shut_the_up/