Eddie Jones has taken over as the new Australia head coach after Dave Rennie was sacked on Sunday night.
The 62-year-old, who was sacked by England in December following an up-and-down seven-year stint as head coach, has signed a five-year deal with the Wallabies.
Previous head coach Rennie has also been fired to make way for Jones, with the New Zealander seeing his three-year spell at the helm come to an abrupt and unexpected end.
The switch comes less than eight months before the start of the Rugby World Cup, with Jones set to begin his new role - which also sees him take over Australia's women's team the Wallaroos - at the end of January.
The length of the contract means that the Australian will oversee both the 2023 and 2027 World Cups - the latter of which takes place in Australia - in addition to the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour.
Jones was previously in charge of the Wallabies from 2001 to 2005, leading them to the World Cup final on home soil in 2003, when they were beaten in extra time by England.
🦘 Excited to have Eddie back on board.
— Wallabies (@wallabies) January 15, 2023
We'd like to thank Dave for his service to the team and wish him the best for the future.#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/TQJ6Awsbld
"It is a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to come home to Australia and lead my nation to a Rugby World Cup," Jones said in a statement.
"It is going to be an immense period for Australian rugby - as a proud Australian, it is a great honour to be able to come home and lead the national team during these years.
"The Wallabies squad is a really talented group of players with good depth - if we can have everyone fit and healthy going into the World Cup this year, I am confident that we can go to France and break the 24-year drought of winning the Rugby World Cup.
"I saw how gutsy the Wallaroos were in the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year – it looks like there is a real spirit in that group that will drive the women's program forward ahead of their next World Cup in 2025.
"I'm really looking forward to getting back home and getting stuck in."
© Reuters
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan hailed the move as a "major coup" for the nation, describing Jones as "the best coach in the world".
"It is a major coup for Australian rugby to have the best coach in the world return home to coach the iconic Wallabies and to oversee the Wallaroos program," he added.
"Eddie instinctively understands the Australian way of playing rugby – this represents an opportunity to secure a coach of immense expertise."
During his time in charge of England, Jones led the country to a joint world-record winning streak, three Six Nations championships including one Grand Slam, and the 2019 World Cup final.
A poor run of results last year, which saw England win just five of their 12 Tests, ultimately spelled the end of his Twickenham tenure, but he left with the highest win percentage of any England head coach in history.
No England boss won more games in charge of the national team than Jones, while only Sir Clive Woodward took charge of more games.
© Reuters
Jones's arrival sees Rennie's troubled three-year tenure come to an end, with the Wallabies winning just 13 and losing 18 of their 34 Tests under the 59-year-old.
Rennie leaves with the lowest win percentage of any Australian coach in history, and reports suggest that he has a new job lined up in Japan's League One after this year's World Cup.
The former Glasgow Warriors coach's contract with Australia was due to run until the end of the tournament in France later this year, although reports suggest that he will still be paid for the duration of that deal and has now been put on gardening leave.
The Wallabies lost nine of their 14 Test matches in 2022, including a heavy defeat to Argentina and their first-ever loss at the hands of Italy.
Despite that, Australia still sit sixth in the world rankings, above the likes of Scotland, Argentina and Wales.
Barney Corkhill
