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Former Wallabies assistant coach Dan McKellar has revealed how Eddie Jones took the news that he would not be joining him at the World Cup, and named the current Wallabies star he thinks can make a successful transition to the coach’s box.
McKellar, who will leave Australia in June to start his job as head coach of English club Leicester Tigers, joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones for an in-depth chat on The Roar Rugby Podcast on Tuesday.
You can hear the full episode in the player below, or on your podcast app of choice.
McKellar spoke about his reasons for taking up the job in England despite being wanted by Jones to carry through to the World Cup in France later this year. Telling the famously direct Jones the news wasn’t easy.
“It was one of those conversations. I reckon it was equal to when I first rang Dave Rennie to have to pull out of the Wallabies back in 2020,” McKellar said.
“You drive around the block a number of times and eventually you find the courage to press call. I called him and he was great to be honest.
“He was very understanding, very reasonable. I’m sure he was disappointed and probably once he got off the phone wasn’t too happy. It was tough, because as I’d committed and was keen to work with him but it was assistant coach versus head coach.”
McKellar revealed the pair have remained on good terms since that call.
“In terms of his attitude and encouragement, I’ve had many conversations with him since over the phone and via text message and plan to meet up with him and discuss all things rugby. The relationship is still there.
“We haven’t burnt bridges and that was really important to me.”
Asked in Jones tried to talk McKellar out of his decision, the former Brumbies head coach said: “Honestly, he didn’t.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
“His attitude was mate, ‘it’s your coaching career, you need to do what’s best for you. Disappointing that you won’t be with us but understand’. He’s been helpful. Obviously he’s got a huge knowledge of all things rugby in the north and knows the premiership well so I’ll pick his brain regularly.”
McKellar was considered the heir apparent by many to take over from Rennie after the World Cup. Jones was sacked by England and Rugby Australia pounced, moving Rennie out and Jones in on a long term deal that put a road block up in front of McKellar’s head coach ambitions.
Asked if he had been talked to about a succession plan, McKellar said: “It had been mentioned. But to be honest, I never get too excited about those sorts of things.
“I don’t think it’s anyone’s God given right to just walk in and think they’re going to be coaching Australia. If I coach Australia one day that would be an enormous privilege and opportunity, and something that I’d be really grateful for and it would be a dream come true.
“But I’ll never be defined by that. I just love coaching. I love coaching any group of men.
“There had been conversations, but those things go pear shaped all the time, as we could see it went pear shaped!”
McKellar spoke about the impact Laurie Fisher had on him as an emerging coach and also looked ahead to the next generation of potential coaches to emerge from the playing ranks – naming Jesse Mogg and Lachie McCaffrey – both of whom have started their coaching journeys in club rugby recently – and Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White.
“The key for coaching is you got to genuinely love it because it’s, lonely. It’s a long, hard slog where you’re working 24/7.
“You never clock off. So you’ve got to have a supportive family and partner. And you’ve got to understand that from a playing perspective the time commitment is very different.
“Guys like Whitey whose work ethic is enormous … Nic White is a real student of the game and could easily be a coach.
“Wanting to be a coach and understanding what’s involved are two very different things. I think those guys will understand that, and have a real thirst for it.”
McKellar will miss out on the World Cup experience but thinks the Wallabies can be in the fix, providing they are able to covercome the injury issues of the past two years and keep their best players on the park.
“I think this World Cup really suits New Zealand I think for the first time ever, they’ll just fly under the radar,”McKellar predicted.
“They’ll turn up with no expectation. If they get knocked out in quarters they’ll probably be disappointed.
“Semifinals, it will be whatever, that’s what everyone expected so I think that works in their favour.
“Clearly the French and the Irish are the teams to beat and as people were saying on the Spring Tour last year you don’t want to play Australia at the back end in tournament rugby.
“If we can get our best players on the park and keep our best players healthy… If you take out Kerevi, Cooper, that sort of player this year then we’re going to struggle to win.
“But if we can keep our best players on the park, nice and healthy, then the expectation is for us to perform well and get to a semi final and once you get to a semi final then it’s anyone’s game.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.