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Eddie Jones describes recruiting assistant coaches as 'smash and grab' trophy heist

Eddie Jones Andy Marinos. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Eddie Jones won’t dictate tactics to Super Rugby Pacific coaches but he may call on them to join his coaching staff for the Wallabies World Cup push.

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Since returning to the helm of Australia last month, the make-up of Jones’s backroom staff has been a hot topic.

Jones has a reputation for pushing his assistants to the limit and he has yet to make a call on the futures of Dan McKellar and Laurie Fisher, who remain from Dave Rennie’s regime.

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Attack coach Scott Wisemantel, who previously worked with Jones with England, quit before Rennie was axed while ex-Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire has said he has unfinished business in the NRL.

Jones said he had contemplated picking the best brains out of the five Super Rugby sides to formulate his Wallabies support staff.

“We’ve got a bit of a smash and grab job, it’s nine and a half months and (it’s like) there’s a beautiful jewellery store around the corner,” Jones said.

“You’ve got to get four or five coaches that can work together to get in there, steal the trophy and get out without getting caught.

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“In a lot of ways, we’ve got time because as a coaching team, we need to be together probably for the last six or eight weeks of Super Rugby, where selection is going to become important.”

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Returning to the role in January, Jones said he planned to have face to face talks with every coach of an Australian franchise in the coming months.

The 63-year-old said he wouldn’t be dictating tactics to the Super Rugby sides but would offer input into where he thought potential Wallabies would be best suited.

“We don’t tell the Super teams how to play,” he said ahead of next Friday’s opener between the Waratahs and Brumbies.

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“We’re not New Zealand or Ireland – we’re Australia.

“We have a relationship with the Super Rugby coaches but I want them to play the style they want to play.

“What I want to see is that the players play with that toughness that want to get better, they want to help their teammates in difficult situations.”

Jones reiterated how critical Super Rugby games were to steel Australia’s players for the pressure of Test rugby.

“The games against the Crusaders or whoever the strongest New Zealand side is, they are the important selection games,” Jones said.

“That’s where you’ll see (what you want) from the players.

“The expectation is they play well and consistently play well.

“It’d be nice to have an Australian side win the Super Rugby final.”

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SK 31 minutes ago
Harness Skelton's might and move Sua'ali'i: How the Wallabies can fix things for Test two

That fighting Aussie spirit really served them well last week when they were down 24-5 early in the second, to rally back to 27-19 and dominate the last quarter was really impressive. I dont subscribe to the thought that the Lions took their foot off the gas. The Lions are not flawless. This group goes through periods in matches where they run riot and then through other periods where their game almost devolves as they try to play too much and lose all momentum falling flat. The strongest most consistent part of their game is their defence. I feel like the weakest part could be their set piece especially that creaky scrum which really should be doing better against Australia. If this Lions side was playing against the Springboks or All Blacks they would not be winning collisions and their set piece would be under serious scrutiny. Australia must try to do better in the collisions and put more pressure on the Lions set piece. They must bring line speed and power to their defence. They cannot afford to give up any soft tries and they must bring urgency at the start of the game. They need to force the Lions to play on their terms and to play from behind. If the Lions race out to an early lead all bets are off, if they keep momentum for a protracted period the game will be up. Australia must spoil, harass, frustrate and compete in every ruck, maul, scrum and lineout. Its time to face the Lions head on.

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H
Hellhound 53 minutes ago
Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

As I said, always blame the ref. The Boks can't win unless the ref helped. It was a hooker and not a prop. You don't even have your facts straight. You just confirmed what I said idiot. Blame the ref for the try😂As for hate? I don't hate the AB's, just some of their fans like you. You don't look at the whole picture. All you see is AB's players. You don't look at the opposition. No, you see what you want to see and then open your mouth, spew drivel and then get heated up about it screaming hate. Yes, the Boks haven't won in NZ in awhile. Boo hoo, cry me a river. That will change. A very strong AB's side barely beat a weak C French team and you think they are in such a good place. I would not bleat such prowess if I were you. The Boks played against much weaker opposition and they were very disappointing. Lots to work on. However, we know what these Boks are capable of. We know what the youngsters are capable of. We know the depth we have and that depth is extreme. Lots of new youngsters bleeding through too. Better than most of the current AB's. Have you watched the URC? No. Japan league? No. English Premiership? No. You watch SR and you are awed by what you see. You think the world will fall at the AB's feet, that they will smash everyone in front of them(couldn't do it to a C French team). You are blind. Foolish. Big mouth and overhyping a team that is already out of time for the WC. At the most 17 Tests left to give players time to shine. Razor doesn't even have a full A team yet. Prospects yes. Possible future stars, yes. The Boks have about 3 teams, and about 3 teams with star studded youngsters that can shift up. What will the AB's do when there is injuries? Red card bans? AB's are good. They always will be. However, they are wafer thin in the talent department. As I said, I love the AB's, just not all its arrogant supporters of which you are one. You get good supporters, not you, and then bad woke idiots, that's you!

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