FILE PHOTO:New Australia rugby union coach Eddie Jones poses with Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan and CEO Andy Marinos after his first news conference since his reappointment, which was held at Matraville Sports High School, in Sydney, Australia January 31, 2023. REUTERS/Nick Mulvenney/File Photo
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said that there is plenty of interest in the Wallabies' head coaching role after Eddie Jones' exit and that the position will be open to foreign candidates.
The organisation confirmed on Tuesday it had accepted Jones's resignation as a "sensible outcome" after the Wallabies' group-stage elimination from the World Cup, the nation's worst performance in the tournament's history.
McLennan said an Australian coach's knowledge of grass-roots rugby in the country would be of value but added that Rugby Australia (RA) wanted the best person for the job.
"It’s around contracting, strength and conditioning, player identification, so if you’ve grown up through the system, you could argue that you might have a more intimate knowledge of that," he said in comments published by the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday. "But we want the best coach so the rugby committee is going to run that process. I can tell you, there’s no shortage of high-quality coaches that want to come and coach the Wallabies."
New Zealander Robbie Deans, who coached Australia from 2008-13, ruled out another stint in the job.
"You don't go back," the Panasonic Wild Knights coach said on Wednesday in Brisbane.
Former ACT Brumbies coach Dan McKellar, now coaching in England, is seen as among the strongest candidates to replace Jones, along with current Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.
McLennan was instrumental in appointing Jones, who replaced Dave Rennie after the New Zealander was sacked as Wallabies coach in January.
Jones was appointed weeks after being fired by England.
Australian media have called on McLennan to resign over Jones' failure in his second stint coaching the Wallabies but the chairman said he was not for quitting.
"Our performance at the World Cup was a setback and I’m not gilding the lily, but the truth of the matter is, we’ve got a board and a management team that know what needs to be done," he said.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Gerry Doyle)
