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Eddie Jones (rugby union)

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Eddie Jones (rugby union), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 2025
Eddie Jones
Born (1960-01-30) January 30, 1960 (age 66)
Burnie, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation(s)Rugby union coach, former player
Years active1981–present
Known forHead coach of Australia, Japan, England national rugby teams

Edward Jones (born 30 January 1960), commonly referred to as Eddie, is a former Australian rugby union player and current coach. He held the position of head coach for the Australian national team from January until October 2023. Throughout his coaching career, Jones has led teams including Australia, Japan, and England, with a return to the helm of Japan’s national side commencing in January 2024.

Jones’ initial tenure as Australia’s head coach spanned from 2001 to 2005, during which he guided the team to the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He also played an advisory role in South Africa’s triumph at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Between 2012 and 2015, Jones was at the forefront of Japan’s rugby program, highlighted by their shocking victory over South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. His appointment as England’s head coach came in November 2015, where he led them to consecutive Six Nations Championship titles in 2016 and 2017, achieving the rare feat of an unbeaten calendar year for a national side. Under his leadership, England reached the final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, ultimately falling to South Africa.

During his playing days, Jones was a hooker representing Sydney club Randwick and the New South Wales team. His coaching career began with Randwick in 1994 before he relocated to Japan between 1995 and 1997, where he worked with Tokai University, Japan’s national squad, and Suntory Sungoliath. Returning to Australia in 1998, Jones took charge of the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby, later assuming the head coach role for the Queensland Reds in 2007. A brief stint at English Premiership outfit Saracens followed in 2008 before he resumed duties at Suntory Sungoliath, leading them to victory in the 2011–12 Top League season.

Early and personal life

Born in Burnie, Tasmania, in 1960, Jones is of mixed heritage with a Japanese mother and an Australian father. He is married to Hiroko Jones, whom he met while working as a teacher at Sydney’s International Grammar School. The couple has one daughter named Chelsea Jones. His sporting allegiances include English football club West Ham United and the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team competing in the NRL.

Raised primarily in Sydney, New South Wales during his father’s military service in Vietnam, Jones attended La Perouse Public School located in South-East Sydney alongside future rugby figures Mark, Glen, and Gary Ella.

Playing career

Jones began playing rugby at Matraville Sports High School. As a hooker, he represented Randwick from 1981 through 1991 and also competed for the New South Wales side. In 1989, he appeared for New South Wales B against the touring British Lions. During the 1991/92 season, Jones made three appearances for English club Leicester before retiring from playing to pursue a career in education and school administration.

According to Randwick’s Hall of Fame, Jones was known as a "light-weight and mobile hooker," having played 210 matches for the club and scored 14 tries. He participated in six first-grade grand finals between 1984 and 1989, securing four championships, and captained Randwick’s reserve grade team to a final win in 1991. Over his career at Randwick, he earned several accolades including best and fairest player in 1982 as well as awards recognizing his improvement.

Initial coaching roles

Jones transitioned from teaching to coaching in 1994 when he took charge of Randwick. Subsequently, he relocated to Japan, where he coached Tokai University, served as assistant coach for the Japan national squad, and led the club side Suntory Sungoliath.

ACT Brumbies (1998–2001)

In 1998, Jones made his way back to Australia to assume the head coaching position with the ACT Brumbies. His inaugural season proved difficult, culminating in a 10th place finish in the Super 12; he later admitted feeling "completely out of his depth." Nevertheless, Jones guided the Brumbies through their most prosperous era, achieving runner-up status in 2000 and capturing their first championship title in 2001—the first occasion a team outside New Zealand won the competition. During this period, Jones is recognized for identifying future talent George Smith at a trial for the rugby league side Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Australia (2001–2005)

In 2001, Jones coached Australia A during the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, leading them to a narrow 28–25 victory. Apart from the national team, Australia A was the sole squad to defeat the touring Lions.

Jones was appointed head coach of the Australian national team ahead of the 2001 Tri Nations Series, taking over from Rod Macqueen. Under his leadership, Australia secured the 2001 Tri Nations title and entered the 2003 Rugby World Cup ranked third favourites behind New Zealand and England. They upset New Zealand in the semi-finals but ultimately fell to England in extra time during the final.

After the World Cup, Jones extended his contract to remain at the helm through to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, declining an offer to coach Japan. However, by 2005 injuries contributed to seven successive defeats and a disappointing European tour. Following a 22–24 loss to Wales on 2 December 2005, Jones’ contract was terminated.

Queensland Reds (2007)

A little over a month after departing from the Wallabies, Jones committed to a three-year contract to coach the Queensland Reds beginning after the conclusion of the 2006 Super 14 season. Early in 2006, he also acted as a consultant for Saracens amid their challenging campaign.

Jones endured a tough year with the Reds in 2007, with the team finishing at the bottom of the table with just two victories. Injuries forced him to rely on weakened squads, including losing star Chris Latham before the season started. His final game resulted in an 89-point away loss to the Bulls—a record margin in Super Rugby—prompting media calls for his removal. This period represented a low point in his coaching career; he resigned after only one season. During this time, he was fined $10,000 for publicly criticizing referee Matt Goddard following a narrow defeat against the Brumbies.

South Africa (2007)

In 2007, Jones declined an offer from Fiji to serve as a technical advisor for their Rugby World Cup campaign and instead joined Springbok coach Jake White as a technical advisor for South Africa. Despite criticism from ARU CEO John O'Neill over assisting a rival nation, South Africa triumphed at the World Cup, with Jones credited for improving their backline performance. Although part of the coaching staff, Jones did not receive an official Springbok blazer due to his nationality and wore his tracksuit as stipulated by contract.

Following the World Cup victory, Jones returned to Saracens initially as an advisor before taking on the director of rugby role for the 2008/09 season. He announced his resignation in February 2009 citing personal reasons but departed early in March amid boardroom conflicts, describing this as his most difficult rugby experience.

Return to Japan (2012–2015)

In 2012, Jones returned to Suntory Sungoliath, where he built a formidable team featuring players like George Smith, Fourie du Preez, and Danie Rossouw. Under his guidance, the club secured the 2012 Top League championship along with back-to-back All Japan Championships.

Following John Kirwan’s resignation in 2012, Jones was appointed head coach of Japan's national rugby team. He implemented a strategic shift by minimizing dependence on foreign players and emphasizing a distinctly Japanese style of play, with the objective of elevating Japan into the world’s top 10 rugby nations. Although Japan narrowly lost in the 2012 Pacific Nations Cup, they achieved landmark victories against Romania and Georgia later that year—their first European wins.

Jones led Japan to claim their sixth straight Asian Five Nations title in 2013 and oversaw a historic series draw with Wales, marking Japan's inaugural success over the Welsh side. After experiencing a suspected stroke in October 2013, Jones was sidelined for the year-end tests, during which interim coach Scott Wisemantel took charge.

In 2014, Japan earned their seventh consecutive Asian Five Nations championship and shared the Pacific Nations Cup title with Fiji. Notably, they defeated Italy and climbed to ninth in the world rankings—the highest position in their history—achieving Jones’ goal of breaking into the top ten. Despite mixed outcomes in the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup, Japan prepared robustly with warm-up victories leading into the Rugby World Cup.

At the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Jones masterminded one of rugby’s greatest upsets when Japan secured a last-minute try to defeat South Africa 34–32. The team concluded pool play with three wins—including record-breaking triumphs over Samoa and the United States—but did not progress to the knockout stages. This tournament marked Jones' final appearance as Japan’s head coach.

Stormers (2015)

After coaching Japan through the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Jones signed with the Stormers of Super Rugby in Cape Town on 12 November 2015. However, just eight days later, he was appointed as head coach of England Rugby, replacing Stuart Lancaster. This appointment made Jones England’s first foreign-born head coach. The RFU paid £100,000 to activate a release clause in his Stormers contract. By November 2015, Jones had become among the highest-earning coaches globally in rugby.

England (2015–2022)

Jones was named England’s head coach on 20 November 2015, signing an initial four-year contract through to the 2019 Rugby World Cup. This agreement was subsequently extended twice, ultimately covering his tenure until the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup. He recruited assistants Steve Borthwick from Bristol and Paul Gustard from Saracens to support his coaching staff.

In 2016, Jones guided England to their first Grand Slam in thirteen years during the 2016 Six Nations Championship, securing victories over Scotland, Italy, Ireland, Wales, and France. Later that year, England achieved a historic clean sweep by winning all three matches against Australia on Australian soil and climbed to second place in global rankings. They ended 2016 on a high note with a fourteen-match winning streak that included wins over South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, and Australia.

During the 2017 Six Nations Championship, England claimed the title but experienced their initial defeat under Jones against Ireland. In June 2017, an inexperienced England squad triumphed in a two-test series against Argentina with a 2–0 result. The team maintained strong momentum during the 2017 Autumn Internationals, defeating Argentina, Australia, and Samoa.

England's form declined during the 2018 Six Nations Championship, finishing fifth with just two victories. They endured successive defeats to Scotland, France, and Ireland—their first trio of losses since 2014—and followed this with a heavy defeat by the Barbarians in May. In June’s test series against South Africa, England lost the opening two matches but secured victory in the final test to avoid a series whitewash. After appointing John Mitchell as defence coach, England edged out South Africa narrowly in November but fell short against New Zealand by one point. The autumn campaign concluded with wins over Japan and Australia; under Jones’ leadership England extended their winning streak against Australia to six consecutive matches.

In the 2019 Six Nations Championship, England drew 38–38 with Scotland after holding an early lead of 31–0. Jones attributed this collapse to a recurring "mental block" within the squad. This fixture stands as the highest-scoring tied game recorded at international level.

Jones steered England to their first World Cup final since 2007 by overcoming reigning champions New Zealand 19–7 in the semi-finals of the 2019 tournament. However, England were defeated by South Africa 32–12 in the final match.

On 6 December 2022, Jones was relieved of his duties as England head coach after managing only five wins from twelve tests that year. He departed holding a win percentage of 73%, which remains the highest achieved by any coach in England’s history.

Return to Australia (2023)

In January 2023, Eddie Jones was reinstated as the head coach of the Australian national rugby team, succeeding Dave Rennie and resuming a position he last held nearly 18 years prior. His contract, reportedly valued at A$4.5 million, extends through the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which Australia is set to host. Alongside this role, Jones also took charge of the national women's team. His official start date was 29 January 2023.

Before finalizing the appointment, Jones engaged in several discussions over a six-month period with Rugby Australia executives Hamish McLennan and Andy Marinos. These talks were initially kept low-profile due to Jones’ commitments with England and Rennie’s ongoing contract. Interest in the appointment intensified after Jones departed from his England coaching role in December 2022.

Jones' first game back in charge resulted in a significant 43–12 defeat to South Africa in Pretoria—one of Australia's most substantial losses against the Springboks. This was followed by narrow defeats to Argentina (31–34) and a heavy loss to New Zealand (7–38), culminating in Australia finishing at the bottom of the 2023 Rugby Championship for the first time since 2012.

During World Cup preparation matches, Australia suffered a close loss to New Zealand (23–20) and a decisive defeat against hosts France (41–17). Entering the 2023 Rugby World Cup ranked ninth globally and winless across five tests that year, Australia secured a victory over Georgia (35–15) but then lost to Fiji (15–22)—marking Fiji’s largest-ever win against Australia in 69 years—and Wales (6–40), which was their worst defeat under Jones’ leadership. Although Australia ended pool play with a win against Portugal (34–14), it was not enough to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in their history.

JRFU controversy

On 24 September 2023, just seventeen hours before Australia's match versus Wales, Tom Decent of The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Jones had participated in an online interview via Zoom with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) concerning their head coach vacancy. According to anonymous sources cited in the report, this interview took place on August 25—fifteen days prior to Australia's opening match against Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. After Australia’s defeat to Wales, Jones faced questions regarding this alleged interview and his dedication to Australian rugby. He responded firmly: "I'm committed to coaching Australia. I really take umbrage that people are questioning my commitment to coaching Australia. To doubt my commitment to the job is a bit red hot."

Following Australia’s elimination from the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Jones repeatedly denied having conducted an interview with the JRFU. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald journalist Peter FitzSimons, he stated: "It's false... There's no named source for these stories, so there's no credibility about the story to start with. Secondly, the president of Japan Rugby happens to be a very close associate of mine. Every time I go to Japan, I have coffee with him. We talk about rugby. Have I met Japanese representatives? Yes. But I have done that for 30 years." He further mentioned that his last contact with any JRFU official was in February 2023.

In May 2025, on his podcast EDDIE and during an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Jones clarified that he had been asked by JRFU for recommendations on who should assume their head coach role, and that any interviews took place after his resignation from Australia. He explained: "I gave them some advice on who they should pick to be the next head coach. The next discussion I had with them [Japan] was after leaving Australia."

On 29 October 2023, Jones officially stepped down as Australia's head coach.

Return to Japan (2023)

In December 2023, Eddie Jones was reinstated as the head coach of the Japan Rugby Football Union, resuming the position he originally held from 2012 until 2015.

International coaching statistics

Team Years Matches Victories Draws Defeats Winning % Points For Points Against
Template:Ru 2001–2005

Template:WDL

1,741 1,151
Template:Ru 2012–2015

Template:WDL

1,913 785
Template:Ru 2015–2022

Template:WDL

2,382 1,385
Template:Ru 2023

Template:WDL

177 270
Template:Ru 2024–

Template:WDL

343 474
Total

Template:WDLtot

6,556 4,065

Additional pursuits

In November 2015, Jones became a member of the advisory board for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in Japan.

From May through September 2020, he co-hosted the Eddie Jones Coaching Podcast alongside RFU Director of Performance Conor O'Shea under the banner of England Rugby. The series delved into rugby strategies and coaching philosophies while drawing inspiration from sports such as cricket and football. Notable guests included Justin Langer, Joe Schmidt, Michael Lynagh, and Joe Roff.

Following his appointment once again as head coach of the Australia national rugby union team, Jones initiated the EDDIE podcast in partnership with journalist David Pembroke. This podcast aired between February and April 2023 before pausing indefinitely, later resuming in May 2025 under the new title Rugby Unity.

In popular media

Jones is the subject of the documentary Eddie Jones: Rugby, Japan and Me, which was broadcast on Sky Sports on 31 October 2018.

The New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison portrayed him in the 2019 motion picture The Brighton Miracle.

Australia

Japan

England

Additional Accolades

Randwick

Japan (assistant coach)

Brumbies

South Africa (Technical advisor)

Suntory Sungoliath


External links

Related profiles

AAlan Jones (talkback host)AAlex ChidiacKKate LangbroekNNicholas Shehadie
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