Former Wallabies’ coach Eddie Jones Monday parted company with Super 14 wooden spooners Queensland Reds by what Queensland Rugby said was ”mutual agreement”.
Jones, who was axed as Wallabies coach in late 2005 after a series of poor results, offered his resignation to QRU chairperson Peter Lewis, who accepted it with regret as being in the best interests of Queensland Rugby, a statement said.
The resignation followed a tumultuous Super 14 season for the Reds, who won just two of their 13 games and finished the season on the end of a record 92-3 flogging by eventual champions Northern Bulls in Pretoria.
Lewis said the decision was made in the best interests of the Reds to allow Queensland Rugby to make long-term decisions on the coaching structure.
Jones would continue in the role to assist with the post-season review and the orderly transition to a new head coach, the statement said.
”This is a regrettable but amicable parting of the ways,” Lewis said.
”Eddie’s family is relocating to the UK and, while he had initially announced his intention to coach the Reds in 2008, he decided that it was in Queensland Rugby’s best interests to recruit a successor now rather than endure 12 months of instability and speculation.
”While we would have loved to have Eddie see out his full three-year term, we respect his decision and welcome his willingness to assist with an orderly transition.
”His legacy is a more professional attitude and structure; enhanced facilities and programmes, and the development of young players to step into the gaps left by the rotten bad luck he’s had with injuries this season.”
Jones said he would help wherever required to make the transition to a new coach as smooth and professional as possible.
”Given all the recent speculation in the media and in general, Peter and I thought it was in the best interests of Queensland Rugby that I move on,” he said in the statement.
Wallabies assistant Michael Foley, Auckland-based Blues mentor David Nucifora and former Wallabies fly-half Pat Howard are among the leading candidates for the job. – Sapa-AFP