Eddie Jones has thrown his weight behind New Zealand Rugby's stringent criteria for the next All Blacks coach, pinpointing Jamie Joseph as the likely successor. With the coach's chair at one of rugby's most storied teams up for grabs, the race is heating up, influenced heavily by NZ Rugby's demand for international experience—a stipulation that has sidelined several potential candidates.
Earlier this week, the national body set the coaching community abuzz by officially seeking applications. This move automatically excluded notable coaches such as Pat Lam and Clayton McMillan, while both Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter have opted out. This decision underscores a shift back towards a model that favors seasoned international tacticians, a pivot from recent appointments like Ian Foster and Scott Robertson, who lacked prior international head coaching stints before their tenure with the All Blacks.
Eddie Jones, speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, praised this approach. "I think it’s a really good, strong point," Jones remarked. "All Blacks rugby has always been world-class, and insisting on a New Zealand coach with international credentials shows strong leadership."
"If you look at historically in New Zealand, two of their most successful coaches had been Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, and what do they both have in common? They both had successful Super Rugby careers, but then both of them went to Wales."
Jones highlighted the isolation experienced by Australia and New Zealand in the rugby landscape, especially after the departure of South Africa and Argentina from Super Rugby, emphasizing the importance of international coaching experience.
As for who will take the reins, Jamie Joseph is tipped as the frontrunner, having enriched his resume with an eight-year tenure with Japan, which included a historic Rugby World Cup quarter-final appearance in 2019. "When they made Jamie Joseph the New Zealand XV coach last year, I think the writing was on the wall; they really rate him," Jones stated, acknowledging Joseph's significant contributions to both the Highlanders and Japan.
The discussion also turned to the possibility of a coaching partnership between Joseph and former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who himself boasts substantial international experience. "I think maybe they’ll do a team between him and Dave Rennie, who again had experience coaching Australia. So that’ll give you a fairly strong two coaches at the top of the tree," Jones speculated.
With his extensive coaching background across several rugby powerhouses, Jones also shared insights into the pivotal aspects of international coaching. "Firstly, just from a knowledge point of view, like, coming out of Australia, our whole thing was to run with the ball," he explained. The veteran coach also stressed the importance of adapting to different environments and strategies, crucial skills for the high-stakes role of leading the All Blacks.
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Eddie Jones has thrown his weight behind New Zealand Rugby's stringent criteria for the next All Blacks coach, pinpointing Jamie Joseph as the likely successor. With the coach's chair at one of rugby's most storied teams up for grabs, the race is heating up, influenced heavily by NZ Rugby's demand for international experience—a stipulation that has sidelined several potential candidates.
Earlier this week, the national body set the coaching community abuzz by officially seeking applications. This move automatically excluded notable coaches such as Pat Lam and Clayton McMillan, while both Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter have opted out. This decision underscores a shift back towards a model that favors seasoned international tacticians, a pivot from recent appointments like Ian Foster and Scott Robertson, who lacked prior international head coaching stints before their tenure with the All Blacks.
Eddie Jones, speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, praised this approach. "I think it’s a really good, strong point," Jones remarked. "All Blacks rugby has always been world-class, and insisting on a New Zealand coach with international credentials shows strong leadership."
"If you look at historically in New Zealand, two of their most successful coaches had been Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, and what do they both have in common? They both had successful Super Rugby careers, but then both of them went to Wales."
Jones highlighted the isolation experienced by Australia and New Zealand in the rugby landscape, especially after the departure of South Africa and Argentina from Super Rugby, emphasizing the importance of international coaching experience.
As for who will take the reins, Jamie Joseph is tipped as the frontrunner, having enriched his resume with an eight-year tenure with Japan, which included a historic Rugby World Cup quarter-final appearance in 2019. "When they made Jamie Joseph the New Zealand XV coach last year, I think the writing was on the wall; they really rate him," Jones stated, acknowledging Joseph's significant contributions to both the Highlanders and Japan.
The discussion also turned to the possibility of a coaching partnership between Joseph and former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who himself boasts substantial international experience. "I think maybe they’ll do a team between him and Dave Rennie, who again had experience coaching Australia. So that’ll give you a fairly strong two coaches at the top of the tree," Jones speculated.
With his extensive coaching background across several rugby powerhouses, Jones also shared insights into the pivotal aspects of international coaching. "Firstly, just from a knowledge point of view, like, coming out of Australia, our whole thing was to run with the ball," he explained. The veteran coach also stressed the importance of adapting to different environments and strategies, crucial skills for the high-stakes role of leading the All Blacks.