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Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has returned to Australia saying he “is committed to Australia”.

Jones will attend a press conference on Tuesday and address reports that he is a candidate to take over as Japan’s head coach next year.

This masthead revealed last month that Jones took part in a secret Zoom meeting with JRFU officials in August, just days before spearheading the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign.

Jones had declined to comment when asked by this masthead if he has had any contact with Japan Rugby.

Multiple Japanese news outlets, and the London Telegraph, have reported that Jones is a candidate to take over from Jamie Joseph as Japan head coach on a long-term deal.

RA did not organise an opportunity for reporters to speak to Jones at Sydney Airport upon arrival from France. The 63-year-old, wearing non-Wallabies attire, was reluctant to talk.

However, Jones was questioned by a Channel Seven reporter, who asked the Wallabies boss whether he was heading to Japan.

“Ah, no comment mate,” Jones told Channel Seven.

“Meeting with Rugby [Australia]. I will speak to the media on [Tuesday] but I am committed to Australia.”

Eddie Jones’ position as Wallabies coach has come under scrutiny.Credit: Getty

Asked if he’d spoken to Japan officials about the head coach role next year, Jones replied: “I’ve had no discussions with them, mate.”

Jones was asked about the prospect of coaching Australia at a home World Cup in 2027.

“Ah well, as I said mate, I’m committed to Australia.”

It was put to Jones that Japanese media outlets were reporting that he was a candidate to coach Japan.

“I can’t control that,” Jones said.

Jones still has four years remaining on his Rugby Australia contract, which is supposed to run until the end of 2027.

Australia lost two of their four matches and failed to make the knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history.

Jones has told RA chief executive Phil Waugh and chairman Hamish McLennan that there is no truth to the Japan reports.

Jones has spoken numerous times about the fact that RA might want to sack him, but Waugh said earlier this month that is not what the governing body wanted.

RA is yet to confirm the details of a press conference on Tuesday that Jones referred to.

Meanwhile, outgoing Wallabies assistant coach Pierre-Henry Broncan was quizzed this week about Jones’ future in Australian rugby.

“Eddie is a competitor,” Broncan told French sports newspaper L’Equipe. “If he doesn’t have the means or if he feels that things will continue as before, it will be hard for him to stay.

“If he senses a real desire from Rugby Australia to create a high-performance environment, I think he will be there.”

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