Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has confirmed he would be “definitely interested” in taking over as Japan manager following his controversial resignation from the Australian national team.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said it would be “deeply disappointing” if the widely reported links between Jones and Japan turned out to be true.
Jones, who coached Japan from 2012 to 2015, will have to wait another month for a second interview, SMH reported, angrily denying any connection to Jones’ role in the final weeks of his tenure as Australia’s head coach.
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But Jones gave his first interview to the Japanese press upon his arrival in Tokyo on Monday, and again in Yokohama. “I have not received any offers, let me be clear,” he told Kyodo News.
“If they (Japan) came to me and asked, ‘Are you interested in leading them?’ I would definitely be interested.”
Jones was reported to have interviewed Japan ahead of the recent Rugby World Cup, but denied having done so or had any plans to interview Japan again.
“Japan can’t stay where it is. If it stays where it is, it will actually start to slide. So it has to make a big push now,” Jones said.
“You have to be brave and do things differently. You can’t just keep doing what you’re doing. That’s why I’m interested.”
The Wallabies are on the hunt for their next manager.
“Hopefully, I’ll get to see all the facts (about Jones’ departure),” McLennan told Stan Sports.
“If that is true, I would be extremely disappointed knowing the entire coaching staff and the support the Wallabies have shown in us.
“I talked to his (Jones) agent about it. He was very adamant about it and insisted that he had nowhere to go. I read his press release… I take it at face value.
“I think we’ll find out more about what happened in the near future. The Herald definitely believes there’s an absolute truth to it. I think when the time comes we’ll find out what happened.”
