Eddie Jones makes startling new revelation about departure as Wallabies coach

Eddie Jones says his decision to quit as Wallabies coach was a "mutual agreement" between himself and Rugby Australia (RA) after claiming neither party was on the same page about the future of the national side. On Tuesday, RA officially confirmed it had accepted the resignation of Jones, more than 24 hours after news first dropped that the veteran coach was stepping down.

Jones was less than one year into a five-year deal that was supposed to see him lead the Wallabies into the 2027 World Cup on home soil. Having presided over a disastrous World Cup campaign this year that saw the Wallabies knocked out in the group stages for the first time, and having denied speaking to Japan about their vacant coaching position, Jones ultimately opted to walk away from his contract.

'FIX IT': Suaalii makes call on rugby switch amid fears of $5m backflip

'AWFUL': Fans in uproar over shock drama in Rugby World Cup final

NEW TWIST: Fan who labelled Eddie Jones a 'traitor' tracked down

Speaking to Nine News about the decision on Monday, Jones revealed it was written into his deal that either he or RA could pull the pin if certain "conditions weren't met" within the first 12 months. The veteran coach stressed that he did want to continue with the Wallabies but said RA couldn't guarantee the necessary resources he needed to drive significant change.

Eddie Jones leaves Wallabies via 'mutual agreement'

"We had a discussion about it, I made the initial approach and it's been a mutual agreement," he said about standing down from the Wallabies job. "The contract was designed so that after 12 months, if certain conditions weren't met then there was an opportunity for either party to walk away, and that's been the case.

" I think it's the best decision for Rugby Australia, for the Wallabies, and for myself. I went into the job with the idea of changing things and part of that was changing the team and part of it was helping change the system to produce a better Wallabies team over the next period of time. The timing is just not right for it.

" I did want to go on, but coaching a team is a bit like being in a marriage - you need commitment from both sides. I was committed to change the team, Rugby Australia at the moment are committed to changing the team but just can't activate the resources, which are both financial and political, to get the changes in place to make a real change in Australian rugby.

"I don't like to leave things half done, but I also don't like to be in projects I don't think can really get to where they need to get to." Jones did implement a number of significant changes in his ill-fated tenure as Wallabies coach, ushering in a new wave of young players at the expense of experienced Test greats such as Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper - a move that backfired at the World Cup.

A youthful Wallabies squad lost to Fiji and Wales to crash out at the group stages for the first time, with Jones only managing two wins from his nine Tests in charge. The 63-year-old had been heralded as the Wallabies' saviour when he was appointed as a 'captain's pick' by RA chairman Hamish McLennan after the axing of previous incumbent Dave Rennie.

Eddie Jones denies reports about Japan job

Amid the debacle that was Australia's World Cup campaign were the reports coming out of Japan that Jones was in line to take over the vacant head coaching role with the Brave Blossoms. The 63-year-old has constantly denied the reports and maintained he was always "committed to Australia". Following his resignation, Jones repeated his insistence that he'd never been offered the Japan job.

"I was 100 per cent committed. The only thing that's disappointed me is the media trying to create a situation where they're trying to make it out like I haven't been committed to the job," he added. "I've got no job to go to, I've got no job offer, that's never been the case. You can run whatever story you want, but my commitment to Australian rugby has been absolutely 100 per cent."

World Cup-winner Stephen Larkham and fellow former Wallabies assistant Dan McKellar are expected to be RA's top targets to replace Jones. Larkham is currently coaching the ACT Brumbies after taking over from McKellar, who is head coach at Leicester Tigers in the UK. McKellar was Rennie's forwards coach and was touted as his most likely replacement, before resigning from the Wallabies when Jones was appointed.

with AAP

Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.