Wallabies upset Jones could join the Springboks

SYDNEY: Australian captain Stirling Mortlock says he is disappointed but not concerned that former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has reportedly agreed to help South Africa at this year's World Cup.

Australian rugby officials have publicly attacked Jones following widespread media reports that Jones was set to join the Springboks as a technical advisor for the tournament in France starting on September 7.

Jones took charge of a few Springbok training sessions last week but the South African Rugby Union (SARU) said he had not yet been offered a contract, although discussions had begun.

"We are exploring the possibility of Eddie's involvement with the Springboks up to the end of our campaign in France," Andy Marinos, SARU's manager of national teams, said in a statement.

Mortlock said: "It's a little bit disappointing, but I think it also reflects the nature of professional rugby nowadays.

"Players go overseas and play now," he told reporters. "Likewise coaches need to coach. So if they go overseas to do so, that's just a reflection of the environment that we are in at the moment."

Some officials have expressed their concern that Jones might divulge some of Australia's tactical secrets to the Springboks after he was involved in pre-season World Cup discussions.

Jones has a great knowledge of all the Australian players and coaching staff. He coached the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup final and was still employed as coach of the Queensland Reds until three months ago when he quit.

Mortlock, who played under Jones with the Wallabies and ACT Brumbies, said it would have been better for Jones not to have been involved but he held little fear about him passing on secret information.

"If everyone had known that Eddie was going to be in a capacity of coaching the Springboks, direct opposition who we may well play in a big match at this World Cup, I don't think he would have been privy to a lot of the information that he was privy to being the head coach of Queensland this year," he said.

"But, to be perfectly honest, I don't think there's that much inside information that would be very useful."

Jones, sacked by Australia in 2005, appeared to agree with that when he told South African radio: "In a lot of ways, rugby information is like the latest chocolate bar. It goes out of fashion pretty quickly."

Agencies

(China Daily 08/02/2007 page23)