He ended an illustrious professional playing career early, yet Eddie Jones has found an ally in the former Wallabies captain he axed – Michael Hooper.
Hooper was the most significant omission from this year's Rugby World Cup team to France, bringing forward his expected retirement from the game.
Despite arguably the most significant defeat for Jones as Wallabies coach outside of their 2003 Rugby World Cup final failure, the Test veteran of 125 caps has backed the old fox.
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Speaking on Stan Sport's post-match coverage, the openside flanker said the axe can't be wielded solely in Jones' direction.
"I think a lot of this is going to come on Eddie, maybe there's a bit of fairness to that, but I've been in the environment and I've been in the camp – no one is up more hours in the day than Eddie," Hooper explained.
"That guy is going to bed at 11 at night thinking about how to make the Wallabies team better and he's waking up at three in the morning answering messages on how to make the Wallabies team better. So there's no lack of desire for that guy to make this team the best it can possibly be.
"Now, it hasn't worked out that way, so yes, there's going to be people that come under fire – players first, coaches, staff, the greater, wider rugby community in Australia – so let's just pull the brakes a bit off Eddie.
"I hate seeing people boo, regardless of who they are, because you know the people are putting themselves out there, that's what we're talking about here. Players, coaches, are putting their nuts on the line to try and go out there and be the best person they can be. Eddie's done that, the players have done that. So let's not have a crack at the bloke."
Hooper echoed Justin Harrison's sentiment that a helicopter view needs to be taken of rugby in Australia to see where the faults lie.
The historic loss has already prompted calls for a review and even chatter that at least one Australian team in Super Rugby Pacific be culled for a quality over quantity approach.
"We have significant governance reform that is needed to be undertaken," said Harrison.
"We have resource allocation that needs to have a waterfall effect to get to the community game. We understand that there are a series of events that have contributed to this defeat today, which from anyone who is involved in Australian rugby, is not acceptable.
"Let's have a look at the list of things, because it is a list. For us to concentrate on one or two things that have happened in the last week and not look at the culmination of 20 years of missteps, that is the result of 20 years of missteps right there.
"Let's concentrate on getting a helicopter view and all of us leaning in and finding out who's been culpable and how do we fix it."
The Wallabies will have one more match against Portugal in a week's time on October 2 at 2:45am.
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