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Rugby Australia (RA) chief executive Phil Waugh says Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has the governing body's support, even if his side crashes out of the Rugby World Cup in the knockout stages.
- Waugh says Rugby Australia is "excited" to have Jones in charge of the Wallabies
- The Wallabies face a crucial World Cup match against Wales on Monday AEST
- Waugh says RA will conduct a post-tournament review
If the Wallabies do not make it to the World Cup quarterfinals in France, they will become the first Australian side in the tournament's history not to advance past the pool stages.
In the build-up to the tournament, Waugh — who became RA chief executive earlier this year — said he believed making the semifinals would be a "pass mark" for the Wallabies.
"We've said that from the start, when Eddie came at the start of the year. We're excited to have him on the team," Waugh said.
It has been a tense build-up to the Wallabies' must-win Pool C clash against Wales in Lyon on Monday morning AEST.
Jones, who attracts intense media interest in the Northern Hemisphere and particularly from British reporters, apologised to Australian rugby fans for recent results.
He said RA might want to sack him after its post-tournament review.
Waugh insisted that Jones would be supported long-term.
"We'll do a review," Waugh said.
"Eddie is committed for a long time and we're looking forward to the success that we'll have in this tournament hopefully.
"But then if you look ahead to what we're calling a golden decade — in [20]25 the Lions, in [20]27 the men's World Cup, in [20]25 the women's World Cup in the UK and in [20]29 we have the home women's World Cup — we've got a lot of really exciting events in front of us and we need to ensure we've got the best possible people around the team."
- Follow all the action as the Wallabies take on Wales from 4am AEST on Monday in our live blog
Waugh said that his "pass mark" of making the semifinals had not changed, despite the precarious position the Wallabies find themselves in after the 22-15 loss to Fiji in Saint-Étienne last Monday AEST.
"I don't think anything has changed … where Australian rugby has been and where we are capable of being, I think that getting through to the semifinal would be the ideal result and once you're though to the semifinals — as we saw in 2003 when we beat the All Blacks in a game we weren't expected to win — you can go through and win the World Cup," he said.
Waugh maintained that even if the Wallabies recorded an early exit in France, it would not have been a failure.
"The World Cup this year is probably the most competitive it's ever been … experience in a big-game knockout tournament is important for everyone, not just young players," he said.
"We'll certainly be better for having that going into the British and Irish Lions in 2025 and the World Cup.
"We'll be better for that experience but we still want to go through and win the World Cup."
Waugh still believed the "smash and grab" campaign touted by Jones when he first got the job was possible.
"You go to World Cups to win World Cups and the 'smash and grab' [line] was the intent from the start," he said.
"[The Wales game] Is very important in terms of that journey. You know the guys can win a World Cup.
"While it was very disappointing last weekend [against Fiji] … if they win tomorrow night and then carry that momentum through to the quarterfinals, anything is possible."