I can say with absolute certainty that I would never have become the player I did if I didn’t have Eddie Jones as my first head coach.
That’s why I have so much respect for Eddie because, in that one year, he did so much for me.
From such a young age, he taught me how to train like a professional. Then the standard to which you’ve got to continuously abide by and to hold yourself accountable to that.
But he also taught me so much about the game, how to understand the game; how to back yourself and understand what your strengths are, so I only have positive things to say about Eddie.
I was 18 when I started my first pre-season with the Reds at the end of ‘06.
Will Genia (L) says he would not have become the player he turned out to be if it was not for Eddie Jones’ hard lessons in his first season at the Queensland Reds. Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
What I remember was that he was very big on individual skills and extras.
You obviously train 2-3 times a day, but you always had scheduled within your program that you’d have to be out there at certain points doing individual skills.
He would always be out there with every single player in all positions, whether that was hookers practicing their throwing, jumpers practicing their jumps, 10s practicing their kicking, and I remember as a halfback he would just come there and just stand there right beside you and watch you.
You’d be feeling the pressure of him standing there, but then he would also give you tips and try to help you, and that’s the one thing I’ll remember is just how big he was on individual improvement and that constant search for wanting to be better.
One day, I was out near field two at Ballymore doing extras, and his office was up the top of a building, he opened the window and was yelling out things to me like ‘follow through with your hands’ or ‘keep your chest over the ball’ from 100m away and the third floor of the building.
Will Genia says his game was improved by Eddie Jones’ tough school at the Reds in 2006-07. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
I’m sure Quade Cooper would say the exact same thing. The ability to instill a level of work ethic and desire to want to continue to grow and get better, teach you good habits around continuing to grow your game, understand your game, and I know that they are things that he’s going to bring to this particular crop of players.
I was shocked when Dave Rennie was sacked. Like incredibly shocked.
I’m disappointed because I really enjoyed what Dave was doing. I love the way he sees the game and wants to play the game.
But we didn’t have the ability to consistently execute the style of play because at times our skills and decision-making were lacking.
If you watch the way they want to play, it relies on a lot of detail but then within that detail, it relies on making the right decisions to get the ball to the right space based on where numbers are. Trust me, it sounds simple as hell, but at times when you’re on the field it can be quite difficult.
We’ve got a sprinkling of world-class players and guys who have very high rugby IQ, but I think we’re probably still in a process where we’re still learning – and that probably is what counted against Dave, the fact that guys are still learning on the run.
We live very much in a results-driven business.
Dave and Eddie coaching together would never have worked. It didn’t work in 2019.
Even as players, you just felt uneasy because you weren’t sure who was in charge as a coach, and I’m sure Michael Cheika would say the same thing. You just constantly have someone looking over your back and you don’t have control, complete control, over the team to be able to do the things that you want to do.
It didn’t work in 2019. I don’t think it would work now.
It would just be exactly the same as 2019. It would be: who is running the ship? Whose message is more important? Who are we actually supposed to be listening to? Players feel that and it doesn’t create a healthy environment.
While I’m disappointed Dave is no longer coaching the Wallabies, I understand why Rugby Australia did it because they didn’t want to lose out on Eddie.
The fact that he became available and was ready to coach here and now, I understand that they didn’t want to lose that opportunity because he’s one of the world’s best coaches, if not the world’s best coach.
He’s a proud Australian, he understands the way that the game has been played over a huge number of years in the country.
He’s passionate about rugby in Australia and the Wallabies, so I completely understand it.
Will Genia believes Eddie Jones plays a winning game of rugby and coaches with an edge. Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
Eddie had a huge amount of success coaching against the Wallabies.
My international career ended in Japan when England knocked us out of the World Cup quarter-finals.
I think what makes Eddie so good is that he has an edge about him.
So many teams that he coaches, he instills that edge about them. England had that. Whether it was in and around the physical battle.
The other thing about Eddie is that he plays ‘winning rugby’, he likes the trends of the game, he understands what way you need to play to be successful against certain oppositions, he’s very, very smart like that. That’s why he was able to transform England.
He has high levels of expectations from players around their fitness levels, their strength, their skill development, their ability, and then just their work-rate and work-ethic in and around all those spaces, learning and understanding the game. That brings it all together.
But he has his teams play with an edge and he plays winning rugby – that’s why he’s been so successful at Rugby World Cups.
It sometimes might not be the most entertaining footy, but it’s always about winning and that’s what he’s best at.
People talk about his struggles recently with England, but I don’t think it should get taken into consideration because it’s not the situation that he’s going to be in at the Wallabies.
Eddie Jones’ tenure with England ended after seven years of highs and lows, including a World Cup final defeat in 2019. Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
You’ve got to look at what he’s done to teams when he’s first got there. That’s what counts the most because he’s only just come in now, in a World Cup year.
Towards the back end of his tenure with England because he had been there so long, and I can’t speak on any personal experience, you’ve got the same players in the same environment, you’re probably looking for ways to rejuvenate and freshen things up.
That might be with the playing style, that might be with your staff, that might be with the players themselves, that might be just the way that you do things in the environment, and sometimes, within that, you’re going to have teething problems where you’re going to lose games in order to get to where you want to ultimately get to.
Having said that, I think it’s more relevant to see what he’s done when he immediately got into a new environment, and he’s only ever had success in that space. That’s why I think he’s going to be a really positive appointment.
As for my old mate Quade, I can’t see why he won’t be the No.10 leading into the World Cup.
Quade Cooper remains the favourite to wear the No.10 jersey, according to Will Genia. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
I mean, Quade’s been the best 10 in the country for the last couple of years. He’s obviously been unfortunate with injuries, but we saw when he came back the quality and level of play that he was performing at.
I know Eddie’s always been a big fan, so if you’re basing it purely on performance, I can’t see why he wouldn’t fit into his plans.
If you look back at the way Eddie coaches, he likes having experienced players in key positions whether they might be starting or might be on the bench, or just within the squad, because I think he understands the value of having experience in senior players.
Harry Jones
Expert
You’ve got to look at what he’s done to teams when he’s first got there. That’s what counts the most because he’s only just come in now, in a World Cup year. Spot on, Will. The aftermath of 2023, whatever it may be, is the issue later. But Eddie is likely rejuvenated + will savor this challenge. It’s his type of gig. 8-9 months of obsession.
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
Both!
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I am just stating the facts Phil, in the last 12 months in the biggest, richest union in the World, Eddie has not been a good coach at all. What he has done in the past is not as relevant as where he is at now, it was Nick Bishop on this site who wrote late last year that Eddie had run out of ideas, it happens. Together with the inevitable disruption from the change of coaches, at least at the head and the attack coach level, Eddie being out of ideas is likely to mean that the Wallabies are in more trouble more trouble this year than they were under Rennie. On the attack coach situation, do you not think that Scott Wisemantel's decision to leave right before Jones was sacked, might have been the result of him seeing the writing on the wall and not liking what it said? And yes, the Wallabies do have to get a good result this year. McClennen's entire play is aimed at getting people postive and taliking about rugby again in the lead up to the Lions tour and the World Cups in 2027 and 2029. If the Wallabies get flogged this year and are stuck with the same coach who led the failue for the next four, how do you think the Aussie public will react? The NRL and AFL would have a field day making a mockery of rugby throughout Australia, it would completely destroy the code's credibility here after the fuss that McClennen and Jones have made about contesting the Aussie sports market. I personally suspect that Jones would have been available in 2024 no matter what, but that McClennen didn't want to face the potential embarrassment of not renewing Rennie if the Wallabies did well under his stewardship. In covering himself against that, McClennen has lost the opportunity to make Jones's coaching a positive clean slate in 2024 if the Wallabies don't do well, as many expect. I personally won't wish the worst on the Wallabies because I like them and Rugby in Australia suffers if they suffers, but if it happens by crikey there are going to get a lot of people get a wakeup call.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
maybe you've missed the bit about the 38% being in the past and the RWC being in the future...
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Noodles, agree with everything you said. I don't think they should have dumped DR and I reckon he has been treated poorly. White anting from within RA seems to be the go to method now. Happened to Cheika, again with DR, Brad Thorn copped it...how long until EJ gets the same treatment? But all that aside, if DR had no chance of getting a contract beyond the RWC, and EJ was signed to take over, it would have been a nightmare. It is what it is, but I just hope RA concentrate on fixing up their own mess (ie running a decent SR, having proper pathways so the next crop of players don't head to the NRL, etc) and not blaming the head coach for everything.
Carn Reds
Roar Rookie
Math says they wouldnt be at 38% if they won enough games to make the finals....
numpty
Roar Rookie
Yes that is true but plenty of players also improved under his watch.
Noodles
Roar Rookie
I think you miss the point Phil. We have seen this movie before and it's no coincidence that O'Neill has lavished praise on the decision to hire the WBs coach he fired. RA has - for many, many years - been led by people who simply refuse to look at their own turf. That is: organise the game in Australia for best results the way NZ, Ireland and other unions with limited scale have done. That means having a centralised system (State unions have to cede control) and having a plan for maintaining depth and building skills. Instead, we have the constant knee jerks, sacking of coaches and big spends on "marquee" players. Rennie was extremely badly treated IMO and RA has added to the reasons that good people won't trust them. If they actually had a plan this would not have happened.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Ah, the old world's best coach has to have won a world cup fact. An abstract title where beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If Eddie had won a WC as head coach I'd be no happier/sadder. I'm actually more excited about what he did for rugby in Japan, those are skills we need. Combine them with Will's list, add England's 2016 6N clean sweep, and that makes me feel we have the "world's best coach for Australia". I'm excited, friends are talking to me about rugby again. It's already begun.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Davico, you are confusing winning percentage with "doing the job". It's not like he only turned up to 38% of the training. So out of interest, what winning percentage would have been ok? Would you still be worried about the 38% if they went on to make the finals (or even win) the RWC?
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Noodles, it would never have worked if DR took them to the RWC with EJ already signed for beyond. EJ would be constantly hounded for his views on what the Wallabies are doing right/wrong. It would be a nightmare scenario for DR and the team. While I don't really agree with the move, I understand why they did it the way they did. Time to move on, as no amount of bleating will change it.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Rhys, I don't agree Rennie shuld have been dumped, but it is what it is. I can see why they did it. Yes, its a hail mary play, but disagree they only have 8 months to show dividends. However, to suggest EJ is a poor coach (which is what you are inferring) is laughable. By any measure he is in the top 3 or 4 coaches around the world. EJ doesn't have an attack coach...this is because there isn't already one there (which isn't his doing). FFS, at least give him a few days in the job to get this sorted.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Sorry Wig, this is total rubbish. It wasn't QC or Kerevi that didn't want to play on the NH tours. It was their clubs that said no. The clubs are the ones that pay their wages and it happens across all clubs not just the Japanese ones.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
If EJ enforces the Rebels play Hodge at Fullback, does their coach get a pass if they lose? The SR coaches role is to win games, not play players in certain positions just because the Wallaby coach would like it.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Don, while good in theory, it is unlikely to work in practice. SR coaches are focussed on their team winning, and rightly or wrongly they don't necessarily care about whether someone like Jordy gets time playing 15 just so the Wallaby coaches can see whether that is his best position.
Connor33
Guest
That’s why we need: 10- QC, (Foley as reserve) 12- Kerevi or Foketi. I really think either of these players have the goods 13- Ikitau’s a lock 15- simply, Hodge. Melbourne just need to play him at 15 all year. EJ enforce that.
Connor33
Guest
Noodles, you’re clearly doing it but I can’t help myself: ignore this Davico clown into irrelevance. I’m very torn about this decision re Rennie. But given how hysterical Davico is about EJ I’m sure he was banging down the RA door when AU lost 7 games before he was sacked. I still don’t think that was the right decision given that you had Gregan and Larkham still running the team. But sadly Domico doesn’t see these nuances it’s more “Yeah, we bloody lost, he’s crap…yeah, we should sack him…yeah.” No thought. We move on. All irrelevant I suppose now. I think there are a lot of torn folks out there.
Ash
Roar Rookie
I love this story of Mat Giteau at his 21st with Eddie Jones. https://youtu.be/VKA5NwqjjBc
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Time will tell JD, or just maybe another 20 years the Bledisloe stays at home!
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yes, and while Will’s endorsement of Jones is obviously compelling, it doesn’t preclude Rennie also having similar (or better) qualities. And the best time to judge that is not now but years after the fact when the long term project has played out and players have had time to reflect with maturity and cool consideration.