Eddie Jones resigns as Australia coach

[sam16111986]

At the moment there are plenty of other options available who are much cheaper than McKellar. Larkham, Cheika, Andy Friend, Ian Foster and Joe Schmidt to name off the bat straightaway.

Joe Schmidt would be a revelation at Australia. Not sure the ARU would be ready for him as I don't think he's the type to take prisoners.

[sam16111986]

I just find it interesting we allowed Dan to have a clause in his contract for Australia, even if that was something Dan was unwilling to walk back on you'd surely make it so its only valid after the first couple years of his contract?

Not sure how you would enforce this if as others have said it is fairly standard for potential national coaches. I imagine the pay off would be the compensation, which has been mentioned would be 7 figures and as a minimum would start with a 2

As he's want Dan Palmer as his number 2 for the Australia job then the ARU would be looking at a significant sum to take both so early into their contracts.

[Rugbygramps]

At the moment there are plenty of other options available who are much cheaper than McKellar. Larkham, Cheika, Andy Friend, Ian Foster and Joe Schmidt to name off the bat straightaway.

Joe Schmidt would be a revelation at Australia. Not sure the ARU would be ready for him as I don't think he's the type to take prisoners.

See what you did there

[Voyager1]

I think what a lot of people are forgetting, is the reason McKellar walked away from the National Coach Appointment in Australia. He was very disappointed/angry with the way the ARU dealt with the sacking of Dave Rennie.

McKeller resigned from his role under Dave Rennie after the brutal sacking.

He decided to join the Leicester Tigers after being approached, after which he stated he looked at his role with the Tigers as being a platform for him to improve his coaching skills and gain the experience necessary to probably return to Australia Rugby when he deemed the time to be right.

If he is true to his word there is no way he would return to Australian Rugby so soon. I believe him to be a very principled person who will follow his own desire to become a better and a possible renowned international coach of the future.

[trendylfj]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/rugby-u ... 5efzs.html

A good summary of the available candidates from an Aussie press site - and from their reader's pole DM is wanted by 29% and Larkham 20%, Cheika and Foster are on 17%. I voted for Schmidt so as to boost him up the table without much success.

[Tiglon]

All getting a bit polarised as usual...

There's a valid argument both ways.

Would it be sensible to reject the strongest candidate because you don't think they'll stay long? Often, yes. I have done in the past, it depends on what you're trying to achieve, and how strong/weak the other options where. Similarly, I've gotten rid of the most talented member of the team in the past, because they weren't the right fit or had a negative influence - it's not always about talent and ability above everything.

Continuity is key for sports teams, and sometimes this genuinely is more important than outright talent, but it did work pretty well for us with Borthwick and many football teams do very well creating a conveyor belt of playing talent knowing that if they do well they'll be off to a bigger club in a year - maybe there's a case for the same working with rugby coaches. If that's our strategy , which it seems like it might be given our last 2 appointments, then I would imagine the club already has a provisional shortlist to replace McKellar, whether it's at the end of the season or in 4 years.

Worth remembering that Australia haven't made an approach as far as we know (and can they even afford to?), and we have no idea how McKellar would respond. However, I don't buy the "he hates AU and wouldn't go back" simply because he had a release clause for them put in from 12 months into his contract. I guess it depends on how keen he is on a European adventure, and how desperately he wants the Aus opportunity - I suspect even he might not know the answer yet and there are probably some deep conversations going on in the McKellar household this week.

Either way, we haven't seen enough to be able to say it's a huge loss if he does go, and maybe with him as caretaker for the season and months to find someone better we could even be better off. Or maybe not, who knows...

[Rugbygramps]

Excellent post Tiglon.

I may be wrong but I think what has irked many is the implication that if Mckellar were to go, and it’s a big if, is that this all the clubs fault.
I’m sure they will have carried out due diligence during the recruitment process, and as I have mentioned when he was announced there was no possible way of knowing what would happen with Jones and Australia.
You can plan as much as possible but sometimes the unexpected happens totally outside of your control

[GB72]

I think the release clause says a bit and would keep all parties happy. A release next summer would mean we are not left short during the season whilst any appointment would be before the next meaningful Australia matches. Mackellar keeps the door open to the ARU and we can get some well needed funding if he does go.

Seems like all parties have been sensible and that looks to be the result of a well rounded negotiation.

The break clause next summer does hint to me though that EJ having a howler and leaving post world cup was considered at the time and it would suggest possible interest if the deal was right.

[Rugbygramps]

The days of Eddie Jones surprising people are long gone.
It amazes me that the Japanese would want to employ him with their history of tradition and doing things the correct way

[GB72]

I would also add that the fact that the release clause is all over the media suggests that it was being looked into. the cynic in me also suggests it was leaked to up the pressure on the whole thing but either way, either the Aussie media, the ARU or both think that he is the man for the job and have been digging as rugby and the coach of Australia is simple not new worthy enough in this country for the press to have gone digging.

[Scott1]

I would also add that the fact that the release clause is all over the media suggests that it was being looked into. the cynic in me also suggests it was leaked to up the pressure on the whole thing but either way, either the Aussie media, the ARU or both think that he is the man for the job and have been digging as rugby and the coach of Australia is simple not new worthy enough in this country for the press to have gone digging.

Who has leaked the release clause and allowed it to go public though?

[GB72]

I would also add that the fact that the release clause is all over the media suggests that it was being looked into. the cynic in me also suggests it was leaked to up the pressure on the whole thing but either way, either the Aussie media, the ARU or both think that he is the man for the job and have been digging as rugby and the coach of Australia is simple not new worthy enough in this country for the press to have gone digging.

Who has leaked the release clause and allowed it to go public though?

That is the question. Not many would have the full details and so somebody has provided the Aussie media or ARU with it but either way, they had to be looking for it in the first place.

There is no doubt the questions will be asked in the build up to the Saracens match and I would want something more than 'not commenting on rumours' 'just here to talk about the match' etc as that in itself would be telling.

If there is nothing to this, the club have until the weekend to work out a response with DM and get their message out in the press. As mentioned, I think that silence would be telling as it means either no approach or any offer would be considered.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Bookies who are rarely miles off have Larkham & Friend as the favorites for the Australia job

https://www.gambling.com/uk/news/next-a ... ddie-jones

[ads]

Bookies who are rarely miles off have Larkham & Friend as the favorites for the Australia job

https://www.gambling.com/uk/news/next-a ... ddie-jones

They haven't even got McKellar on their list.

[Cagey Tiger]

I think what a lot of people are forgetting, is the reason McKellar walked away from the
National Coach Appointment in Australia. He was very disappointed/angry with
the way the ARU dealt with the sacking of Dave Rennie

McKeller resigned from his role under Dave Rennie after the brutal sacking.

He decided to join the Leicester Tigers after being approached, after which he stated he
looked at his role with the Tigers as being a platform for him to improve his coaching skills
and gain the experience necessary to probably return to Australia Rugby when he deemed
the time to be right.

If he is true to his word there is no way he would return to Australian Rugby so soon.

I believe him to be a very principled person who will follow his own desire to become
a better and a possible renowned international coach of the future.

When EJs departure was mentioned to Dan in the TNT post match interview on Saturday, he was obviously stll angry and, to me, the tone of his voice was warning the interviewer not to pursue the matter as they would get a blunt, no nonsense, Aussie response about where the interviewer could go. Based on that, I don't think that he is interested in the Aus job at present.