Jones returns to his roots to issue clarion call for Australian game

SYDNEY : Eddie Jones returned to his roots on Tuesday for his first formal news conference since being reappointed Wallabies coach and issued a call for the whole of Australian rugby to "roll their sleeves up" and help revitalise the game.

In a message delivered at the school where he was once a pupil and teacher, Jones said the team would do their part by winning the World Cup in France later this year but could not revive the sport alone.

"I reckon we've got to draw a line in the sand and where we've been and work out where we want to go ... then everyone needs to roll their sleeves up," the 63-year-old told reporters at Matraville Sports High School.

"We can't do it by ourselves. We need everyone in the rugby community to find a bit more and they can. There's plenty of people who love rugby when the Wallabies win, so we're going to win, but we need them to maybe help start it."

The Ella brothers - Mark, Glen and Gary - also attended the school with Jones and in describing the style of rugby he wanted Australia to play, the former England coach drew on the rugby revolution they helped trigger in the 1980s.

"There's plenty of talented players but talent doesn't win World Cups," Jones said.

"What wins World Cups and wins hearts of people are teams that play with that same spirit the Ellas had, being aggressive and playing with a certain panache.

"We want to play tough. You want to win those tight games by one or two points, and that's the traditional Australian digger spirit. We want that in the team."

Winning tight games, something the Wallabies lost the habit of doing as they slid down the world rankings to number six over the last few seasons, was key to claiming the World Cup for the third time.

"If you look at world