Eddie Jones has been urged to make an immediate move back into international rugby with a sensational return to Australia.
Jones was fired by England on Tuesday just nine months before the World Cup after presiding over a disastrous autumn series. And the Australian coach is now free to take up a new role, after he was relieved from his duties by RFU bosses following a seven-year spell in charge at Twickenham.
Jones has been linked with a move to the United States to coach their national side through to the 2031 World Cup. But the 62-year-old, known for his laser-focus on rugby's most prestigious competition, has now been tipped to return to his native Australia.
He famously lost out on the Web Ellis trophy to England in heart-breaking fashion in the 2003 final during his time as Australia head coach, before taking on an important technical advisor role as South Africa sealed glory in 2007.
And while Rugby Australia have continued to back current boss Dave Rennie through a dismal period of results, Jones has a World Cup plan and former Wallabies star Simon Poidevin believes his expertise must be considered before next year's tournament in France.
“I think RA have made it clear they respect Dave Rennie taking the team through to the 2023 World Cup,” Poidevin told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“That doesn’t stop a guy of Eddie’s experience, like he did with South Africa, coming in to provide his expertise. He helped the Springboks get that victory. That’s an option which Rugby Australia should be thinking about with Eddie.
“His most valuable input would be a sounding board for Dave Rennie and his relatively young coaching staff. He’s been through it all. He knows the challenges of knockout tournaments. In France it’s going to be highly intense given the number of quality teams around the world now.”
And Poidevin, an Australian World Cup winner in 1991, believes Jones should also be targeted as head coach for the next World Cup cycle as he can thrive on the nation's stable rugby environment.
"If he doesn’t want to come over for a World Cup position with the Wallabies, then it should be foot down by Rugby Australia to sign him to coach the Wallabies (in 2024) and try and win the World Cup in 2027,” Poidevin added.
“You’ve got the (British and Irish Lions) series in 2025 and a World Cup in 2027. You’ve got a very structurally sound Super Rugby competition across our region.
"He’s a guy who has a very high standard on high performance. We’ve got high performance markers starting to appear everywhere in Australian rugby.”
