Aussie revival starts with Wallabies winning – Jones

Eddie Jones has weighed into the state of Australian rugby, saying that political infighting usually evaporates when the Wallabies start winning, while also suggesting that cutting Super Rugby teams would be better for the national side.

The former Wallabies coach, speaking on the podcast The Rugby Ruckus , was asked for his views on how Australian rugby could be improved.

He offered up a number of solutions during what has been a tough time for the game on and off the field of late. Jones referenced comments made by former chief executive John O’neill in 1995 that Australian rugby should aim to become the premier winter football code.

‘‘What Australian rugby needs is some of that inspiration; aim high and don’t be afraid to fail,’’ Jones said.

‘‘All the political infighting seems to go away when you start winning and if I was Australian rugby, I’d just be focused on winning. Dave Rennie will do a great job – even though he’s a Kiwi. Australia has got good players.

‘‘I think the solution for Australia is relatively straightforward: Invest in the clubs, get the right domestic provincial competition, whether that be three or four teams, find a way of how you pay for that through television and you’ll have a strong national team.’’

As Australia mulls whether to continue with Super Rugby or back a trans-tasman competition from next year onwards, Jones, who also coached the ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds, said less is more when it came to the number of domestic teams.

‘‘As the national team coach you want your best players playing together, so that’s having three teams where there is great competition to get in those squads and the best will come through,’’ Jones said.

‘‘You can always try to grow the game, but does that add to the national team? At the end of the day, if the Wallabies win, people will follow rugby in Australia – there is no doubt about that. Everyone loves a winner. We’ve seen it with cricket.’’

On the issue of coaching development, Jones said: ‘‘I think that’s one thing Australian rugby has completely dropped the ball on. The ball has been lost in the gutter somewhere.

‘‘We were ahead of New Zealand when the game went professional in terms of coaching development. Intellectual property has been lost in Australia and that is something that needs to come back.’’