Jones fumes over the state of rugby
FORMER Wallabies coach Alan Jones has slammed the state of Australian rugby, labelling its administration as “dreadful”.
The radio broadcaster, who has made a return to rugby union coaching after a 30-year absence to lead the International Barbarians against the Wallabies, said while the national side was in “good shape”, poor decisions were costing the game.
“The current state of Australian rugby, if you’re talking about administration, is dreadful. And there’s no indication it’s likely to change,” said Jones, who coached the Wallabies to a Bledisloe Cup win during his 1984-87 stint.
“Wallabies are in good shape, but unless we cultivate the grassroots level ... the numbers in the game are going to significantly dwindle.
“That will cost the game significantly as a national sport, and abolishing the Western Force joke.”
Jones, speaking from Barbarians’ training at Casuarina Beach Rugby Club ahead of the clash with the Classic Wallabies at Lismore in northern NSW tonight, said he believed the Wallabies were on the right path.
After gaining confidence from their 23-18 Bledisloe Cup dead-rubber win over the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, Jones believes the Wallabies could now believe is a laugh, an absolute they can beat anybody on their European tour.
“I said prior to the All Black game, that the Wallabies are a far better side than given credit for,” Jones said.
“Now they might understand they can beat anybody. I don’t think they had the belief.
“Now they’ll go away (on tour) and they’ll be five times better when they get away from all this rubbish here.
“I think there’s every possibility they won’t be beaten on their European tour.”