‘Don’t feel any guilt at all’: Jones still denies Japan interview… despite clear problem with claim

 Six weeks after leaving the Wallabies, stated on Thursday that he did not “feel any guilt at all” about taking the position of head coach in Japan.

After leading his country, Australia, to a poor performance at the Rugby World Cup, Jones left Australia and refuted rumors that he was going to take over in Japan on several occasions.

The 63-year-old reportedly had a job interview in France during the Wallabies World Cup campaign, according to Australian media.

Southern Hemisphere residents were incensed at Jones’s appointment on Wednesday; All Blacks legend Sonny Bill Williams called the coach “a disgrace.”

Jones told reporters that “it sits well with me” and that he had no regrets about what he had done.

He said, “I wish Australia all the best,” at a crowded Tokyo press conference. “I am very disappointed with the outcome, as my intention was to return to Australia and make changes.”

“However, I have no guilt whatsoever regarding this process.”

Despite the fact that the position’s application deadline was August 18, Jones persisted in saying he hadn’t interviewed for the Japan position until December.

Just before the World Cup, he claimed that he had an online meeting with a recruiting firm to “share my experiences of Japan.”

Jones stated, “I didn’t do an interview before the World Cup.”

“The employment firm wanted me to talk to them about my experiences in Japan. That may have been interpreted as an interview by some. It was not an interview, by any means. I spoke with Japan for the first time in December. I have only had one interview thus far.

“Apologize to fans in Australia? Yes. I did the best I could in that brief amount of time, mate, but it wasn’t enough. Everybody is free to express their opinions. Their opinion cannot be changed by me.

“I wish I could go back and alter Australia, so I feel awful about the outcomes.” I know you’ve been beating the drum pretty hard about this process, but even though I feel horrible, I don’t feel guilty at all. However, I hadn’t been interviewed.

Jones did not feel the need to apologize to Australian supporters for the process, saying instead that “everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”

“What I did is the only thing I can control, and it sits well with me; I don’t have any issues with it,” he remarked.

“People are free to judge others if they feel that way. I have no power over that.

After overseeing the Wallabies for nine Test matches since January, Jones left the team following two victories, including their worst-ever World Cup performance in which they were eliminated in the pool stages.

A revolving door of unproven captains and his fixation on fast-tracking rookies at the expense of veterans backfired catastrophically in high-pressure games.

January 1 marks the official start of Jones’ second term as Japan’s manager. They had earlier won their historic World Cup victory over South Africa under his three-year coaching tenure there in 2012.

Making Japan a team “that has a real identity” was Jones’ stated goal. “You can clearly see the team that they are in any great team in any sport, regardless of the shirt they play in,” he remarked.

“I think that’s something we need to work on with Japan, so that will be one of our main priorities moving forward.” Under Jones, Japan won the match that became known as the “Miracle of Brighton,” stunning South Africa 34–32.

Only their second World Cup victory, Japan went on to defeat the USA and Samoa that year before losing in the group stages.

Under Jones’s replacement, Jamie Joseph, they made it to the home quarterfinals in 2019 but lost in the group stage of the French tournament this year.

Jones stated that Japan “needs to play the game faster than the opposition” and pointed to a return to the World Cup knockout round in 2027.

Additionally, he stated that his teammates may draw inspiration from South Africa’s small winger Cheslin Kolbe, who won the World Cup and is currently playing for Tokyo Sungoliath in Japan.

Japanese players can be as elusive as ninjas, as swift as cheetahs, and as strong as oxen, according to Jones.