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The video message Eddie Jones posted after Australia's RWC bid win
By Liam Heagney
Eddie Jones was quick off the mark in the wake of Thursday’s announcement that Australia is to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the England boss recording a video message for a former staff member who worked with him when he led the Wallabies to the 2003 final – the last time they hosted the tournament.
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Known as Kong, Anthony George spent 15 years in total living with the Wallabies as a media unit producer for the Australian Rugby Union and he was stoked to receive a message from his old team’s head coach not long after the decision emerged in Dublin that the 2027 finals will be staged in Australia.
Now working for the Queensland government as a digital media advisor, George took to Linkedin to share the short video message that Jones sent him. “Eddie Jones’ message of congratulations for Rugby Australia winning the right to host RWC 2027 in his backyard again. So good to get this video message from my old mate,” he wrote.
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In the video, Jones said: “Kong, Eddie here. A good moment for Australian rugby, mate. The World Cup in 2003, as you remember very distinctly, was a great experience, the fans really got behind the team. We had a wonderful six or seven weeks so fantastic for Australian rugby mate and I hope you are part of it again. Cheers.”
In his Linkedin post, George went on to champion the merits of Jones as a coach and outlined why he would be the perfect man to lead the Wallabies at the 2027 finals once he steps away from his current job as the England coach at the end of the 2023 finals in France.
“Eddie Jones knows a thing or two about Rugby World Cup… and the importance of home ground advantage. The only thing that stopped him from getting the Wallabies across the line in ’03 was the golden boot of Jonny Wilkinson. In ’07 he was the Springboks assistant coach when the Saffers lifted Bill. In 2015 he turned Japan into giant killers with the Brave Blossoms famously downing South Africa in Brighton.
“Now he is with the Poms and hoping to go one better than their runners-up finish in RWC 19… but he couldn’t be prouder that the Aussies have won the race to host RWC 27. Wouldn’t it be a great final chapter in Eddie’s celebrated career if he could lead the green and gold to glory down under on home soil? What a character and a man.”
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