ENGLAND HEAD COACH Eddie Jones has tarnished the legacy of his achievements with his native Australia, his Wallabies counterpart Michael Cheika said.
Cheika believes Jones went over the top in his attempts to give England a psychological edge during their tour of Australia in June, when the tourists recorded a 3-0 series win.
Jones, who guided Australia to the 2003 World Cup final, accused the Australian media of being disrespectful, but Cheika believes his former Randwick team-mate needs to have a look at his own behaviour.
“There was a lot of vitriol about Australia, his home nation,” Cheika told reporters ahead of Saturday’s clash between the countries at Twickenham.
“It’s where he coached, where the opportunities were given to him to grow up as a coach and play.
“Personally, if you’re looking to leave a legacy somewhere, you don’t want to hit back at it when you leave.”
Jones has already taken a pre-match swipe at Australia by calling for a meeting with referee Jaco Peyper so he can raise concerns about the Wallabies’ scrummaging.
Cheika laughed off Jones’s remarks following Australia’s 27-24 loss to Ireland in Dublin at the weekend, but he believes the former Japan coach has taken his mind games too far.
“I’m not 100% sure what’s gone on after Saturday, but I’m sure he’ll be into it,” said the former Leinster coach.
“In June I sort of gave the opportunity to see how a former Australian would deal with it. It’s a bit like the goal-scorer who scores against his old team, you know?
“I suppose it’s always difficult when you go back into a tournament where you’re playing teams you’ve coached before. And you don’t really know how to play it.
“Do you stay reserved or do you go out there and get stuck into them? I know what I do, even in a country like Ireland when I’m there, where I coached for many years.
“I didn’t coach the national team there, but that’s the choice he wants to make and he thinks is best for his team.”
Cheika voiced an intention to arrange a meeting with referees’ chief Alain Rolland over his side’s heavy penalty count against Ireland, but admitted he had yet to receive a reply from the Irishman.
“That’s probably a little bit where Australia’s at at the moment,” said Cheika.
“We don’t have a lot of referees on the panel. We’ve only got one on the panel. We don’t have any high-rollers at World Rugby level, so we have very little say at the moment in those areas.
“And we’ve got to improve, that’s part of our thing. We’ve got to get more referees up there and involved at that level, because of the top-tier nations, we have the least representation at the referees’ table.”
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In fairness Irish coaches rarely get involved in unsavoury spats with the opposition. It seems to be a SH thing when you consider the spoutings of Gatland,Jones and Cheika.
Jones reminds me of Gatland mouth all mighty! Personally I’m looking forward to England and Australia batter each other! We can sit back and enjoy this one!
@Mark Gerard Lochlain: Very true Mark. I believe the Aussies will give England a real fright and for me it would not be a great shock if they won. England will lose not only a fierce warrior and ball carrier in Vunipola but also a certain confidence that their pack can dominate Australia. We saw what the Aussies can do with limited possession and for me they have the best attacking back line in world rugby.
Aussies are dung will you stop.
@Kevin O’brien: Aussie pack need to pick Tomani instead of Mumm if they want to stand a chance. How he wasn’t even the 22 is beyond me. Looking forward to the game. Want to Aussies to win purely cause I’m a Cheika fan
Typical Aussies, both of them love moaning.
We are prone to a but of it ourselves
A bit, nothing close to the Aussies though
Personally I’d like to see the Australians take this one and its only because i can’t stand Eddie Jones….Stuart Lancashire may not have got the results but he carried himself well and had England a more humble and respectful team. Jones seems to be Gatland on speed. Obnoxious to the extreme.
Eddie Jones comes across as a real a$$hole
If Lancaster was the pre BREXIT iteration of a nicer England, then Jones is Trump. Or something
Can’t wait for this clash – both coaches just can’t help themselves to dishing out a heap of verbals and bitter sledging.
How has that peyper muppet been given another match
To be fair thought cheika was a little bit ungracious after the Irish game. His character is not too dissimilar to Jones and garland.
Gartland
Gatland – I’ll get it right eventually!!
I’m sure Judy and graham are thrilled!
Two eejits, let them at it.
Eddie Jones comes across as a right tosser .. sneering at Ireland and slagging his own country off .. hoping he gets his either on Sat or in Dublin come March
Hope England put 50 on them. And that they’re penalty count is higher than 13.
They need rid of cheika.