By Sam Ryan

It was tough to know what to think this morning when news broke that Rugby Australia had sacked Dave Rennie eight months out from the Rugby World Cup and signed Eddie Jones to a five year deal. 

Initially, timing was my first concern. The Wallabies are less than eight months out from their opening World Cup clash against Georgia and they’re set to spend the next three months away with their Super Rugby or international club sides. 

The wider training squad also spent last week on the Gold Coast in a training camp led by Rennie to plan and prepare for the year ahead. 

After this morning’s news, the players may as well leave their note pads on the beach in Queensland. Eddie will likely tear Rennie’s plans apart and start anew. 

But that may not be a bad thing. 

There are two things Eddie Jones has done consistently throughout most of his coaching career. 

One, he knows how to get a response out of a new playing group and string wins together quickly

And two, he knows how to prepare teams to peak at Rugby World Cups. 

When Jones took charge of England shortly after the Pom’s dismal 2015 home World Cup campaign, the side won 18 straight Tests. 

They completed a Grand Slam to win the 2016 Six Nations, then beat Australia three zip over here and continued winning at home during the Spring Tour in the UK. 

While I strongly believe the Wallabies under Rennie were an improving rugby side with a chance to find their best in France, Australia’s results over the past 18 months and the trajectory of that improvement was less than inspiring. 

If Jones can utilise the positives from Rennie’s time in charge – a fitter squad, tougher on the ball and better skilled across the park – and combine that with his ability to get the best out of each individual and collectively a team, then maybe he is the man to improve the Wallabies discipline and composure at key moments of matches. 

And based on his history in England, Japan and South Africa, maybe he can do all of that in just eight months. 

The other big tick in Eddie’s box is his track record at Rugby World Cups. 

In 2003, he led Australia to the final and was a Johnny Wilkinson drop goal away (it still hurts, doesn’t it?) from leading Australia to its third World Cup title. 

In 2007, as a technical advisor to Jake White, he helped South Africa win the World Cup. 

In 2015, he coached Japan to a famous victory over South Africa and further wins over Samoa and the USA. Prior to that, the Cherry Blossoms hadn’t won a World Cup match in 24 years. 

And in 2019, he led England past the Wallabies and the All Blacks to a World Cup final, where the Poms fell just short against South Africa. 

If Eddie was a Melbourne Cup horse, you’d be pretty confident that he’d run out the 3200 metres on the first Tuesday in November year on year. 

While all that bodes well for the Wallabies fortunes in France, I do have question marks over Jones’ ability to lead the Wallabies through to 2027. 

Like his old Randwick teammate Michael Cheika, Eddie’s intensity is one of his greatest qualities. 

His coaching style, also similar to former Australian cricket coach Justin Langer, traditionally get results. But it rarely works in modern sport over an extended period of time. 

I’m also concerned about the impact Eddie’s outspoken personality may have on a Rugby Australia administration still dragging itself out of the rubble and rediscovering its identity. But again, only time will tell.

Jones may just be the sugar hit the Wallabies need to find their best and be a genuine threat in France. 

And eight months out from a World Cup, it’s hard to ask for much more than that.