Wallaby Allan Alaalatoa opens up about the ‘hurt’ of Eddie Jones joining Japan

Injured Wallabies captain Allan Alaalatoa has discussed how much it “really hurt” to see former Australia coach Eddie Jones sign with Japan last week following long-lasting rumours and denial.

Two days out from the Wallabies’ first Bledisloe Cup clash of the year against the All Blacks, newly-appointed skipper Allan Alaalatoa sat down next to coach Eddie Jones at a press conference.

Alaalatoa had just been given the opportunity to lead Australia against arch-rivals New Zealand for the first time. Clearly, the skipper was working quite closely with the head coach.

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But Alaalatoa was injured during that Test. The Wallabies captain ruptured his Achilles against the All Blacks at the world-famous MCG and was unfortunately ruled out of the upcoming World Cup.

With a new-look side going to France without their injured tighthead prop, Alaalatoa was left to ride every surprise, disappointment and frustration of that campaign along with fans in Australia.

That included the shock of Eddie Jones’ reported meeting.

Alaalatoa, just like most fans back in Australia, wanted to believe that the news wasn’t true – but that made what came next that much more heartbreaking.

Jones denied the report for the weeks and months that followed, too, but he was officially unveiled as Japan’s new head coach last week. It left Alaalatoa feeling “hurt.”

“I was back home, obviously watching the World Cup and read the article that came out about him being in conversation with Japan,” Alaalatoa told The Sydney Morning Herald last week.

“But my first though was, ‘Nah that’s not true, maybe its rumours being spread.’ But now that it’s confirmed, it just really hurt. To be honest, mate, it did hurt when the news was confirmed he was going to Japan.

“It was really disappointing to see.”

When Eddie Jones was unveiled as Australia’s new coach at the start of the year, the 63-year-old was widely considered the saviour that the sport so desperately needed Down Under.

Jones was treated and seen like a rockstar at the Sydney Sevens in January. The future seemed bright for Australian rugby.

But Jones’ new era officially got underway with a loss to the world champion Springboks in South Africa.

Losses to Argentina, two to New Zealand and another to France followed as the Wallabies went into the World Cup with a record of five defeats from as many starts.

The World Cup didn’t go much better, either, as Australia bundled out of the tournament at the pool stage for the first time ever. It was a new low for the Wallabies.

But Jones had signed a five-year deal, and the players bought into the idea that the man known affectionally as ‘Eddie’ was going to be around for a while.

So, for Jones to resign just after the World Cup final, it came as a saddening surprise to all of the players who had fought so valiantly in the gold jersey this year.

“We knew he was here for five years, and he was here to make us better players and that he cared about the players,” Alaalatoa said.

“The decisions he was making this year, it may have been one eye on the future but he was also picking a team he thought could win the World Cup as well.

“When you were part of that team and that squad, you believe him.

“You believe this man is going to be around with us for four or five years, and no matter what we go through, he is going to have our back. He’s going to be with us every step of the way and turn it all around.

“I feel for the boys because you obviously put so much trust into him and you believe in him and the game plans he brought in, and the changes he wanted to make towards the culture.

“As a leadership group, it’s your job to believe in what the coach is saying and to then drive that among the group, even if there is a little bit of doubt about it. It is your job as a leader to bring everyone together and that takes a lot of energy.”

Following long-lasting rumours, Jones signed a four-year deal with Japan last week. It was officially confirmed by the JRFU on Wednesday and there was a press conference that week in Tokyo, too.

The “hurt” and disappointment that Alaalatoa clearly feels might not go away for a while, but the dawn of another new era awaits the Wallabies – and that’s something to look forward to.

It’s time to “forget” about ‘Eddie’.

“To see all this come out now, and see him sign with Japan, it just hurts. But now that it is done, it’s new so it hurts but the other side is you get that opportunity just to move on now,” he added.

“All that decision has been made, and he’s been in the media a lot, but now it is just forget about him now, let’s move on.”