Seoul Gazette - No guilt for Eddie Jones after taking Japan job

Jones quit Australia after leading them to a dismal showing at the Rugby World Cup, and repeatedly denied reports that he was set to take over in Japan.

Australian media had reported that the 63-year-old had interviewed for the job during the Wallabies' World Cup campaign in France.

Jones's appointment on Wednesday sparked a furious reaction in the Southern Hemisphere, with former All Blacks great Sonny Bill Williams branding the coach "a disgrace".

Jones said he did not regret his actions, telling reporters "it sits well with me".

"I wish Australia all the best," he told a packed press conference in Tokyo.

"I feel terrible about the results, because I wanted to go back and change Australia.

"But I don't feel any guilt at all about this process."

Jones repeated his claim that he had not interviewed for the Japan job until December.

He said his online meeting with a recruitment company before the World Cup was to "share my experiences of Japan".

Jones said "everyone is entitled to their own opinion" but he did not feel the need to apologise to Australian fans.

"The only thing I can control is what I did, and it sits well with me -- I don't have a problem with it," he said.

"If people feel like that, that's their judgement. I can't control that."

Jones quit the Wallabies after two wins from nine Tests since taking over in January, including a worst-ever World Cup performance where they failed to make it out of the pool phase.

His insistence on fast-tracking rookies at the expense of veterans badly backfired in high-pressure games, as did a revolving door of unproven captains.

He will officially begin his second stint in charge of Japan on January 1.

Jones previously coached them for three years from 2012 and led them to their historic win over South Africa at the 2015 World Cup.

C.Park--SG