Jones says to remain as Australia coach

SYDNEY : Eddie Jones said on Tuesday he will remain as Australia coach in the wake of their group-stage exit at the World Cup, while again denying reports he was set to take up a position with Japan.

The 63-year-old Australian, whose mother and wife are Japanese, refuted media reports during the World Cup that he had been interviewed for the Japan head coach job a couple of days before his team's final World Cup warm-up.

"I haven’t been speaking to anyone, mate,” Jones told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

His raw Wallabies squad exited the World Cup in France after a campaign that included back-to-back losses to Fiji and Wales in the nation's earliest departure from the global showpiece.

Jones stood by his decision to go with youth.

“I stand by the decisions I made, and I think we have left Australian rugby in a better position,” he said.

"I came into the Wallabies (with) short preparation time, I had to make a quick decision on what we do.

"I made a decision we’ve got to go with youth. That’s the best (decision) for Australia moving forward, and I still think I made the right decision there.

"I think those players, we’ve got a lot of good young players there who are going to benefit from that experience at a World Cup ... and go onto the 2027 World Cup."