Eddie Jones has hit out at Australia for trying to influence the referee, Ben O’Keeffe, through the media in the build-up to Saturday’s Test at Twickenham.
Jones was responding to claims by the Australia head coach, Michael Cheika, on Thursday that England will attempt to “bully” the Wallabies and that they specifically look to target their half-backs with late hits. Cheika initially said he would not be taking the issue up with O’Keeffe but it is now understood the Australia head coach was due to meet the 28-year-old New Zealander on Friday, as was Jones.
Addressing Cheika’s earlier claims, Jones said: “Obviously [Australia] like the media more than the referee. The referee is an intelligent guy and I’m sure he won’t be influenced by comments made in the press. I have coached over 100 Tests and every Test I have had a meeting with the referee and it is a sign of respect that you want to know what he wants from the game and what we want and it is a mutual exchange of information for the benefit of the game.
“We’ve played four games against Australia, there have been great referees in each of those four games. We play by the rules and are happy to stand by that. [Cheika] obviously feels the referees haven’t done a good job so possibly he should be taking that up with the referee not the media.”
Jones also questioned Cheika’s choice of words amid a number of bullying scandals within sporting organisations in the UK at present. “It’s a nice term to use at the moment,” he said. “You get up in the morning and there is a story on cyber-bullying, a story on British gymnastics – it’s a common word to use. We have had a good preparation and those comments by Australia are literally water off a duck’s back. I don’t know about all that fun and games. They want to play a lot of games at this stage.”
Soon after Cheika’s comments, the former Australia head coach Bob Dwyer further stirred the pot and warned O’Keeffe to keep a watchful eye on England’s props Dan Cole and Joe Marler, urging that “the referee tells his two touchies [touch judges] to keep a close eye on them”. In the past Dwyer has needed no second invitation to question the legality of England’s scrum and Jones responded: “I am disappointed that he is a bit late. Bob normally comes earlier in the week but … it is all part of the fun and games of England-Australia Test matches.”
During England’s 3-0 series win in June 2016 Cheika was accused of gatecrashing Jones’s meeting with the referee Craig Joubert. When the sides met again last December, Jones publicly invited Cheika to his planned meeting with Jaco Peyper but the Australia coach claimed it would be a waste of time. Jones, however, insisted it was standard practice to meet the 28-year-old O’Keeffe, who is also an eye-specialist doctor.
“We always meet the referee. There is nothing unusual about that and I might get my eyes checked by him,” said Jones. “He has been on the touch when we played and I met him as a young guy coming through. He is a very good young ref and is only 28, which is younger than Dylan [Hartley] who might be able to give him a few tips about life. He’s a very competent, accurate and fit referee.”
