Incoming Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones arrived in Australia from Japan on Sunday morning and officially stepped into his new position on Monday.
Jones was an interested spectator on the final day of the Sydney Sevens, and his arrival comes at the right time as the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season is set to kick off on Friday, February 24.
In Australia, the action gets underway on that day when the Waratahs host the Brumbies at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney – the same venue where Jones mingled with fans on Sunday.
Big encounter
Those two clubs formed the bulk of ex-Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s 44-man training squad, which he unveiled before his axing earlier this month and although Jones will have his own selections ideas, that match looms as a big encounter for several key positions.
With the Reds hosting the Hurricanes in Brisbane and another Australian derby between the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels set to end Super Rugby Pacific’s opening round’s action on Saturday, February 25, there will be plenty of talent on display, and Jones is looking forward to watching the games.
“If you look at all the Super Rugby rosters, the talented players in Australian Rugby are there,” Jones said on the coverage of the Sydney Sevens via Kayo Sports.
“All we’ve got to do is make sure we put them into a team that has a pretty good idea about how it wants to play and they want to fight together.”
Jones revealed that he will start his second tenure as Wallabies head coach by visiting all the Super Rugby Pacific clubs to meet with the various coaches and players.
The 63-year-old is set to take charge of his first Test in July, when Australia kick off their Rugby Championship campaign against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
An area of concern from the Wallabies’ Tests in 2022 was their inability to close out tight matches, and they lost five matches by less than a converted try, including against Jones’ England side in the final match of a three-Test series in Sydney last July.
Excited by Wallabies’ attacking ability
“I think Australian sporting teams, particularly the Wallabies, have been great attacking teams, and I think Australia’s got plenty of that,” he explained.
“What we need to be is a bit better in the tighter situations, and that’s something we can work on.”
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