Eddie Jones' reign as Australia head coach got off to a difficult start yesterday, with The Wallabies falling to a 43-12 defeat in their Rugby Championship opener in South Africa.
Winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scored a hat-trick for the hosts, who thoroughly outplayed the visitors in every aspect of the game.
Having taken an early lead via Marika Koroibete’s try, Australia would then conceded 43 unanswered points over the course of the game to come out on the wrong end of a resounding scoreline.
What's more, South Africa opted to field a largely second string side for this fixture, something Jones had commented on earlier in the week.
It did not go down well when those comments were put to him during his post-match media duties.
Eddie Jones confronts journalist after South Africa loss
During his press conference after the loss, a South African journalist asked Eddie Jones if he was 'relieved' that the hosts played a second string side, presumably suggesting that Australia would have suffered an even bigger loss against a stronger opposition. It went down about as well as you would expect.
Eddie Jones: “You don’t have to be a smart arse mate.”
Today is the day that irony died.
pic.twitter.com/FbNBZkhjrZ— Jamie Phillips (@JNPhillips4) July 8, 2023
Journalist: Eddie, you expressed your disappointment during the week that you weren't playing a first choice Springboks side. Has that changed to a bit of relief now?
Jones: No. I'll tell you what you are mate, South Africans are good at winning. You don't have to be a smart arse mate...
We'll bounce back, I've got no doubt that we will bounce back. We were well and truly beaten today by a Springboks side that our mate (journalist) is calling the 'B' team, I never knew there was a Springboks that were called the 'B' team. Now we have a new term.
We weren't good enough, so we're going to front up next week. That's the only thing.
This wasn't the end of the exchange between the pair.
As Eddie Jones made his way out of the media room, he once again scolded the journalist for his question and said he should have 'more respect':
You don't have to be a smart arse. You should have more respect. I never said that mate, I said we always want to play the best.
You don't have to be so smart about it.
This was no doubt a difficult return for Jones to the role he las occupied in 2005, with Australia needing to produce a severe upturn in form if they are to contend in the Rugby Championship and World Cup over the next few months.
It was certainly wasn't the best start in their quest to do so.
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