Wallabies Coach Eddie Jones Press Conference

The Canberra Times

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones faces the media before the team departs for the World Cup.

Transcript

00:00 on the A, do you feel as confident as you were at the start of the year?

00:04 More confident mate, more confident. I think we've got the right squad now, I think we've

00:09 got the right balance of energy, enthusiasm, we've got youth on our side, we're ready to

00:15 go. Much more confident.

00:17 Have you spoken to him?

00:19 I've tried to, but we can't get hold of him.

00:23 Why do you think he wouldn't take your call?

00:25 Because I think he's very upset mate.

00:27 So how did he know he wasn't in the squad?

00:30 Look, we, well...

00:32 Look, it's a fair question, how did he know he wasn't in the squad if he's not taking your call?

00:36 Well it was an announcement. I don't know why he's going back to that. And that's probably

00:42 reflective of Australian rugby. We've got to move on, we're moving on to a World Cup

00:48 now with a great young squad and you're still talking about players we haven't seen yet.

00:52 Well I've tried to ring him mate, that's all I can do.

00:55 Michael Hooper's played 100 tests, is it true that he had to ring up team management to

00:58 ask is he in the World Cup squad?

01:00 Not to my knowledge.

01:02 The Australia A squad's going to be over there as well. Bernard Foley's included in that.

01:09 A lot of those guys are still very much in the frame. If indeed there's an injury and

01:13 they could be called in, right?

01:15 Could be, but guys we've moved on. That's all been done and dusted, we've moved on.

01:21 If the players are unhappy about the selection process, so be it. We're moving on to a new

01:26 young squad that's going to take Australian rugby forward. And you've got to understand

01:30 that what we've had here over the last eight years hasn't been good enough. Hasn't been

01:35 good enough. And we want the opportunity for these young players to go forward. So I'm

01:39 disappointed if the players upset. All I can do is ring them.

01:43 So no bolters?

01:45 And if they don't take your phone call, you can't talk to them.

01:48 No, I mean that would suggest that communication breakdown.

01:51 If I ring them and they won't ring back, what do you want me to do? What do you want me to do?

01:58 What do you want me to do? Tell me.

02:01 No.

02:02 Well why keep asking about it?

02:04 Are you going to...

02:06 I can't believe the level of negativity here, boys.

02:09 Okay, what about Utilde's here?

02:11 Fantastic.

02:12 Here's a positive question for you. How do you take inspiration from a female footballer?

02:17 We take inspiration by the way that lit up Australian society. You know, done something

02:24 fantastic, given young kids the opportunity to play. Now I know what's wrong with Australian

02:29 rugby. And part of you blokes are the problem. Because you're so bloody negative about everything.

02:34 I wasn't negative.

02:35 So negative about everything. Okay, so we're going off to the World Cup, you think we can't

02:39 win. You think the selection process is bad because the players can play. So I apologise

02:45 for that. So we'll go out there and do our best, boys. So if you haven't got any positive

02:51 to say, don't ask. I know you blokes think we can't do any good, so don't ask any questions,

02:56 boys. Just be the pessimist you are. Keep Australian rugby where it's been. Keep it

03:01 where it's been. Complain about players that don't get selected. Keep doing about that

03:07 because it's fantastic. Because we love it.

03:09 I don't think it's a reflection of just the media. I think if you go into a World Cup

03:13 campaign losing four straight games, they're going to be in your car.

03:16 Yeah, 100%.

03:17 I think some of these questions are relevant.

03:18 100%. We haven't been good enough.

03:20 Really brought everyone to it.

03:22 I think we've done that. I love this negativity. It's fantastic. I love it. Keep going. Keep

03:28 going. Keep going. Keep going.

03:30 What was the real, what did you see the difference by coming to this?

03:35 Oh, nothing, mate. We're terrible. You know we're terrible. Just tell us we're terrible.

03:40 And we'll prove you wrong.

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