Jones backs White for top job
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones believes continued disciplinary problems in the Australian side will be the ultimate downfall of current head coach Robbie Deans.
While he did not believe the result of tomorrow night’s test series decider against the British and Irish Lions would determine Deans’ fate, Jones said yesterday the Kiwi’s days were numbered.
The current Japan national coach indicated his close friend and former World Cup-winning South African coach, Jake White, was positioned to get the job ahead of Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie.
Jones said Deans had done a ‘‘pretty fair job’’ over six seasons, reaping one Tri-Nations title in 2011 without any Bledisloe Cup success.
But Deans’ inability to take a firm stance against discipline problems had placed him in a dire position. Continued misbehaviour by exciting backs James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale, two players Deans has resolutely stood by, has upset senior Wallabies players and rugby fans alike.
‘‘There’s continuing problems off the field of ill-discipline and I think that’s something that needs to get sorted out, and it’s obviously not going to happen under Robbie’s regime,’’ Jones said.
Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver has said Deans’ immediate future did not hinge on a series success against the Lions but Pulver has also failed to offer any guarantees if the Wallabies lose at ANZ Stadium in Sydney tomorrow night.
Jones felt the ARU had already made up its mind on Deans and his exit timing would determine whether Brumbies coach White or McKenzie was given the post.
‘‘I think they will either go for Ewen to take over immediately [before the Rugby Championship] or go for Jake to take it for two years. ‘‘Then they will probably groom Ewen to take it over in 2016 and in the next two years try and sort out the [Melbourne] Rebels,’’ Jones said.