Rabbitohs boss Demetriou fires back at Eddie Jones over 'dream job'

South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Jason Demetriou hasn’t taken kindly to England boss Eddie Jones claiming that coaching the NRL club is his dream job. Jones, who will leave his England role after the 2023 World Cup, has been on a post-tour recce in Australia this past fortnight, stopping off at NRL and AFL clubs in Melbourne and Sydney and it was Wednesday when he revealed the job he most covets.   

While attending an information exchange session at the Penrith Panthers, Jones explained to Nine Entertainment Co his interest in NRL and why he would jump at the chance of coaching rugby league – especially South Sydney Rabbitohs.  

“I like the game. If there was an opportunity there (in the NRL) I would jump at it, but the reality is it’s probably not going to be there.

“That would be the dream team (to coach the Rabbitohs). That would be the dream. From the age of five, I’ve supported Souths. That would be fantastic. I loved the old teams with Ronnie Coote, Bob McCarthy, John Sattler and Eric Simms.”

That dream will go unfulfilled if current Rabbitohs boss Demetriou has anything to do with it. He currently has the club riding high in sixth place in his first year as an NRL head coach and he didn’t take kindly to what Jones had to say the other day about wanting to coach the South Sydney outfit.    

Speaking to Fox Sports ahead of this Saturday’s Rabbitohs game against the Sharks, Demetriou took umbrage with the way Jones conducted himself this week. Here is how the awkward exchange unfolded:

Journalist: Another person sort of interested in the coaching role here is Eddie Jones who said the other day he’d like to coach. Obviously, you don’t want to give up your job, but is he someone that you would potentially get in contact with and get involved with and get some advice from?

Demetriou: No.

Journalist: Not interested at all?

Demetriou: Nah. Look, if he wants to give me a call and have a chat, by all means, I am happy to do that. But advertising yourself through the press is probably not the way to go about it.