England coach Eddie Jones has engaged in a fiery confrontation with a Wallabies fan, who called him a “traitor” during Saturday night’s 21-17 victory at the SCG.
Footage posted to social media showed a man wearing a yellow cap with a beer in his hand sledging Jones, who coached the Wallabies between 2001 and 2005.
As his security detail tried to hold him back, Jones pushed past to charge at the man on the fenceline.
“What did you say? What did you say?” a furious Jones yelled.
“Come here and say it. Come here and say it. Come here and say it.”
The fan appeared shocked by Jones’s reaction and backed off.
Don’t rate that supposed fan getting into Eddie Jones. It’s a poor look. I, as a proud wallaby & Australian , don’t think for one second Eddie is a traitor. He is a proud Aussie that happens to coach another national team that isn’t us. This is sport nowadays
— Matt Giteau 🇦🇺 (@giteau_rugby) July 17, 2022
The coach didn’t mention the incident in the post-match press conference but following their Brisbane Test victory said he’d taking great delight in shutting up the crowd.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan condemned the conduct of the supporter, while the Rugby Football Union has declined to comment at this stage.
“That fan’s behaviour is totally unacceptable and is not welcome at a Wallabies Test if he carries on like that,” McLennan was quoted as saying by Britain’s PA News Agency.
“We should be acknowledging Eddie’s achievements as a great Aussie export. There’s too much tall poppy syndrome in that comment.”
Got what he deserved from Eddie pic.twitter.com/lUrtzrsB5h
— Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) July 17, 2022
It came after England captain Courtney Lawes said his team were motivated by “smack” comments made by a number of Australian players in the media in the lead-up to their SCG win.
“We saw plenty of stuff in the press about some of our players and what they were saying,” Lawes said.
“Some people targeting Gengey, (prop Ellis Genge) some people calling us Poms and what not.
“It’s all fuel for our tank. Any good team uses that as motivation I think.”
-AAP
