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.”
Brett McKay
Expert
Huge thanks to everyone who's piled into this Ep - its' first two days rank it higher than all episodes so far this season in terms of downloads!
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Good, balanced post. That's why I said less than 38 percent of course, I just couldn't be bothered to do the maths :laughing:
Lichtfield
Roar Rookie
Actually I think you are overstating the record without QC. I think he was 38% overall, including the wins with QC. So you have to take those games out and it will drop down further. Having said that, I am not as big a fan as others and I am also conscious that those games happened in a specific period of time under a specific set of conditions as we emerged from COVID with all games held in Australia. So I think we might be overstating his record a little, but I would still rate him the most likely to get short term success in the 2023 RWC.
jcr
Roar Rookie
I think sometimes people just write an opinion to show that they can write one, normally not really based on any actual knowledge. Those 2 seem to do it a lot, sadly.
Harry Jones
Expert
Dan was candid, generous with his time, funny, and clearly an analyst. But a good man manager. He even managed us.
Passit2me
Roar Rookie
Ever known a brilliant player to never have bad moments? Did you see his other games? Or just that one?
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Fingers crossed
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
No arguments that there is a massive risk how they come back from long-term injuries but the idea that Cooper or Kerevi aren't test-class in their 2021 form is absurd, and this was what I responded to
Brett McKay
Expert
17 Reds, too. How's the list of 40 better players than anyone used last year coming along, Jimbo?
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Neither played test football in 2022 and both are yet to play after long term injury layoffs. Great news if they both come back up to 2021 form but that is a big assumption at this stage I am afraid.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I hate it when my reply gets gobbled. He was really poor against Japan, got bustled, over played his hand, a lot of loose ball. Maybe Quade will be fit and firing but he has not played a lot of rugby. We still need a reliable back up and my long held view is that a bolter must emerge at 10 if we are in with a chance in September. Gordon looks the only possibility to me, barring some massive leap by Lolesio. I will be impressed if Kerevi and Quade just pick up where they left off in 2021, but is it likely?
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Quade was at his worst, the Japanese really bustled us, and him. I am not so much laying my hopes on Gordon, I just have a long held view that for Australia to go well at the RWC that a bolter would emerge at 10 who could cut the mustard at test level. Lolesio has improved a little at SR level, so we can wait and see. Donaldson has gone backwards. Foley will be reliable, but not the answer. Maybe Quade, but he is 34, still recovering from injury and has not played much football in 18 months. Like it or not, tested or not, Gordon looks to me like the most likely to be 10 in a winning team right now. He has been brought on steadily by the Reds and Rebels and I think there is a lot to like about his skills and temperament. I am looking forward to seeing how he goes over the last five rounds.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Completely wrong way to analyse Quade. He didn't play from 2019-2022 and since then has played 6, won 6. The form that matters is something that happened recently. In the same way I no longer consider his 2014 form when looking at his selection or not, I don't look at what he did in 2018 either. Kerevi was clearly the best 12 in the world in 2021 and was nominated for world Player of the Year off the back of just 5 tests. If both are fit and find their most recent form, then they are clearly our best options in their positions and strong test players, one truly world-class.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
If Eddie makes it work
Did you watch his last game? Threw a hospital/nothing pass on his own try line and again when attacking the opposition line so he would not be tackled. The way he was playing in that game before the injury was the QC of old.
Jimbo81
Roar Rookie
2022: 38%. 18 Brumbies.
Leroy14
Roar Rookie
I’d rather have Bernie but by 2027, Coleman, Kevin Foote, Thorny, Thorny’s replacement or Cron may be picking themselves as wallabies coach. Perhaps McKellar will pick himself. Crystal ball stuff.
Leroy14
Roar Rookie
Yeah, Tooly, both QC and Kerevi are trash…. Hang on, you’re high, right?
Passit2me
Roar Rookie
I'd rather have Bernie after 2027 TBH.
Passit2me
Roar Rookie
QC is miles ahead, not just in the stats, but in the way he operates. He’s a totally different player to what he was a decade ago. He knows how to move his men about the park instead of trying to rely on his own magic footwork which doesn’t work against test match defences anymore. The only time he really looks a bit ordinary, is when he tries the old footwork shuffle on again for old times sake. (which by the way, is what he seemed to be doing when his Achilles blew out). With Cooper fit, we have a half decent chance at the RWC.