SAINT-ETIENNE: Sonny Bill Williams has doubled down on his criticism of Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and has put his hand up to be a constructive force for good in the struggling Australian game.
Williams, the two-time Rugby World Cup winner with New Zealand, was appalled by the bombshell Sydney Morning Herald report that revealed Jones had held a Zoom interview for the Japan coaching job shortly before leaving for the France.
"As a player, if a coach shows his characteristics and does things like that, I'm not going to follow him into battle," Williams said on Stan Sport after the record 40-6 loss to Wales in Lyon.
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"I've got to be prepared to die for a coach, and go out there and give my heart and soul.
"If someone is doing that – and the narrative that he's saying is about the jersey, about the next four years – that's how I feel."
Williams is a close friend of Quade Cooper – dumped by Jones before the World Cup – and also won a Super Rugby title under Jones' predecessor Dave Rennie with the Chiefs.
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Williams was again asked for his Wallabies opinion on Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven and had no hesitation taking another swing at Jones – who is contracted with Rugby Australia until 2027.
"Eddie as a man, as a person I'm a little bit upset about how he's let this current group down by… him having a meeting with the Japanese rugby union," he said.
"A couple of days… before getting on the plane to come here shows to me that he has one foot out and one foot in."
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Williams said Jones' youth policy had backfired badly.
In an interview with Wide World of Sports, RA chief executive Phil Waugh admitted that Jones and others had the belief that "some players in the squad were more advanced and ready than what's proven to be".
Williams agreed.
"(Michael) Hooper, Cooper, (Bernard) Foley, not being picked, solely relying on young Carter Gordon and his back-up, (Ben) Donaldson that's not even starting for New South Wales Waratahs," he said.
"The second point would be coaching staff, a coach (Brad Davis) walks out a couple of days before we come over here.
"And then we get a forward that hasn't even played rugby union (Jason Ryles) as the attack coach."
Williams, who lives in Sydney and has been dubbed "Aussie Bill" Williams, stressed he wanted to be part of the solution and not simply add to the pile on.
"Obviously, when it comes to Australian rugby union, I've been in this space for a few years now and I want to see it thrive. A lot of things need to change, reset button… strategies within the community, Western Sydney, for example, I would love to be a part of that (development).
"A couple of years ago, I tweeted that we need to get some structures in place, strategies in place around the Western Sydney area. Let's start a college competition in the public schools based out west and see where we go from there."
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