Australia head coach Eddie Jones has turned to rugby league legend Andrew Johns’ expertise to help the Wallabies’ playmakers ahead of the upcoming international season.
The Wallabies have been based in Sydney and after a training session at Coogee Oval on Friday there was plenty of interest when Johns was seen taking fly-halves Bernard Foley and Carter Gordon through some passing drills and giving instructions.
More players joined in
The group grew larger as more players joined in and the likes of James O’Connor, Ben Donaldson, and Jock Campbell were amongst those who also participated in the session.
Rugby league’s ‘Eighth Immortal’ Johns had a stellar career with Australian rugby league outfit Newcastle Knights between 1993 and 2007,
“That’s the great thing about sport in Australia, isn’t it? We’ve got this competitive tension but we also have great cooperation,” Jones told reporters.
“It’s not something we planned but when there’s an opportunity to mix we will. If we think there’s someone from rugby league that can help us, I certainly don’t have any discrimination against the sport.
“We’ve known Andrew a long time and his ability to reach the nuances of first receiver play is second to none.”
Johns is no stranger to the Wallabies as he has been involved in several of their camps in the past, with Dave Rennie using him as recently as 2020 to share his knowledge with his players.
Jones also called on Johns’ expertise in 2016 while he coached England to a 3-0 series win over the Wallabies in Australia and nearly signed the 49-year-old when he coached the Reds in 2006.
“We had him mate, but the board wouldn’t approve the contract,” Jones said on his pursuit of Johns.
“They’ve got the statue up of him in the immortals.”
Every player in the Wallabies squad wore their community club kit during Friday’s training session while Jones had on his Randwick club apparel.
The former Wallabies coach addressed the players
Earlier in the week, Jones called on former Wallabies and Randwick coach Bob Dwyer to address his players ahead of this year’s crucial Test campaign.
“Bob came in on Monday to have a look. Run straight, short passes. Good consistent messages and he’s right,” Jones added.
Jones will announce a 33-player squad as well as his captain on Sunday for their upcoming Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina.
