Eddie Jones regret, press conference, uppercut comment, World Cup, Japan, reports, latest, updates\u060c<\/p>\n
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones says he has just one regret about the worst World Cup campaign in Australia’s history. <\/p>\n
He wasn’t the one being linked with an imminent move to Japan’s coaching job after reportedly interviewing for the job on the eve of the tournament. <\/p>\n
It wasn’t about leaving former captain Michael Hooper and veteran playmaker Quade Cooper at home on audacious calls that left the Wallabies badly exposed. <\/p>\n
It was not his team selections that saw his men become the first Wallabies team to be excluded from a World Cup at the group stage. <\/p>\n
Stream 50+ sports live and on-demand with Kayo. Sign up now and start<\/a> streaming instantly ><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n It was actually his infamous press conference at Sydney Airport before his team boarded their flight to France for the tournament. <\/p>\n Jones launched a resounding attack on the media that day, which culminated in the 63-year-old telling reporters in attendance to “give yourself an uppercut.” <\/p>\n Jones was filthy in the face of criticism of his World Cup squads – the youngest ever – and coverage of his team’s 0-5 record heading into the tournament. <\/p>\n But things only got worse in France as the Wallabies collapsed to a shock 22-15 defeat to Fiji, their first defeat against the island nation since 1954. <\/p>\n This set up a must-win clash against Wales, but Australia were beaten 40-6 in a record defeat. <\/p>\n It was Australia’s heaviest defeat, not only against Wales, but in any World Cup match. <\/p>\n This forced the Wallabies into an early flight home as they missed the quarter-finals for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1987.<\/p>\n Jones faced the media in Sydney on Tuesday for a tournament post-mortem and said his only regret was that infamous presser two months earlier.<\/p>\n Jones was asked how he reflected on his \u201cuppercut\u201d comment. <\/p>\n \u201cI probably have to give myself an uppercut, don\u2019t I,\u201d Jones said. <\/p>\n \u201cLook, I didn’t like the way this press conference was presented and I have the right to say that. It probably wasn’t the wisest thing to say, but sometimes you say things in the heat of the moment and regret it.<\/p>\n Jones was then asked if he regretted returning to coach Australia, who he coached between 2001 and 2005, earlier this year. <\/p>\n \u201cI always knew it was going to be difficult. Probably the only thing I regret is telling the press to give themselves an uppercut,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are not at this level\u201d | 01:25<\/p>\n NO FEAR OF DELIVERY<\/b><\/p>\n Despite the horrifying run of results, Jones insisted he was “not worried” about the prospect of being sacked and believes his polarizing team selection has left the Wallabies in a “great position” to 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t control these things, all I can do is coach,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n \u201cI went to the World Cup, I arrived in a short space of time, I had to make a decision about the team, I made the decision we needed to go there with the youngsters.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though the World Cup results weren’t what we wanted, I think I left the Australian team in a great position to go to 2027. That judgment will be decided at the 2027 World Cup. “<\/p>\n MORE COVERAGE<\/b><\/p>\n