His return to Randwick might not have gone as planned, but Eddie Jones maintains he’s got no “wounds” to mend with Australian rugby.

Despite his Japanese under-23s side being sunk by an after-the-whistle try by Christian Yassmin, which came after a superb cross-field kick from Felix Turinui – the son of former Wallaby, Morgan – at Coogee Oval on Tuesday afternoon, Jones was in typically fine form as he spoke about the state of Japanese rugby and the Wallabies.

Asked for his observations about Australian rugby since resigning in late October, Jones said there were some green shoots emerging under Joe Schmidt, including the supremely exciting Joseph-Aukeso Suaalii, who was signed by former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan months after parachuting the veteran coach into the role in early January, 2023.

“Joe’s a very good catch,” Jones said.

“I think Suaalii’s come in, and he’s like two players. Suaalii’s like two players.

“I think some of those young guys are starting to come through, and some of the older guys have come back and played well. Tommy Wright, Jake Gordon have come back and played really well, so I think it’s promising for them.”

While Gordon never got a look-in under Jones, Wright was controversially dumped after the Wallabies’ opening two Tests of 2023 and wasn’t picked for the World Cup.

Both players however became mainstays under Schmidt last year.

Asked whether he hoped the trip to Australia, which included two matches in Coffs Harbour, would help mend some wounds given he resigned just two weeks after fronting media on October 17, 2023, saying he had “always been committed to Australian rugby”, Jones said he wasn’t losing sleep about anything in the past.

“Look, mate, I don’t have any wounds. You might have wounds. I don’t have any,” he said.

“What goes on, goes on, mate. You make decisions, you move on with it, people can think what they want. It doesn’t really affect me.

“I don’t have any wounds. I can sit pretty quietly at night and be comfortable with myself.”

Eddie Jones says he’s got “no wounds” from his time in Australian rugby as the rugby personality returned to Randwick. (Photo by Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Although Tuesday’s result meant little, it will be a completely different kettle of fish when Jones’ Brave Blossoms take on the Wallabies in October in Tokyo.

Not only will it be the first time Jones meets his former side, but it will also be Schmidt’s successor’s first Test in charge.

Jones, for now, hasn’t been concerned about who will take over from Schmidt.

“No, I don’t read anything, mate,” he said.

“Seriously, I don’t read any rugby news at all. That’s the only way I can stay sane.”

Jones returned to the Japanese head coaching post six weeks after calling time on his dramatic stint with the Wallabies, which ended in ugly fashion as his home nation crashed out in the pool stages of the World Cup for the first time.

The 65-year-old said he was “enjoying the challenge” of coaching Japan a second time, but said they are racing the clock to be competitive at the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

“We’ve got plenty of work to do, mate,” he said.

“It’ll be close, mate, but we’ll get there.

“I reckon three or four of these players can potentially come through, which would be a great result for us, which is what we’re looking for because we’ve just got to get more talent.

“In the (Japanese) League One, only 48 per cent of playing time is Japanese players, so there’s not a lot to pick from there.

“Over the last five years, Japan hasn’t been able to beat anyone above them, so we need to bring new talent through.”

Finding new talent was at the heart of Jones’ decision to bring a newly created under-23s side, which was made up of amateur players, to Australia.

“Japan’s got no elite development system,” Jones said.

“If you look around the world, all the teams who are doing really well and batting above their average like Ireland, particularly, you’ve got to develop your youth. There’s no development system, so we’ve created this under-23s program.

“It only goes for two months, where these young players, who are just university students. They just come out and they train for two months as a professional team, and then they have three games in Australia as a bonus.”

Jones’ desire to find more talent comes mere months after two-time World Rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett earlier this year called on Super Rugby officials to look at including some Japanese representation in the tournament to keep it both fresh and exciting.

Jones, who is still associated with Suntory Sungoliath, said he doubted whether such a plan could occur.

“With League One the way it is, it may be very difficult,” he said.

“They’re spending a lot of money on League One. The wages they pay the players is quite high.

“As a competition, it’s definitely improving but to bring a Super Rugby side in would be difficult.”

Would it be advantageous?

“It would always be advantageous,” he said. “You need players to play above the level they’re at.

“The great story is South Africa, isn’t it? In 2015 they got beaten by Japan, they changed their Currie Cup, they moved their teams to the Northern Hemisphere and now they’ve got teams playing at Currie Cup level, URC level and then their best players play overseas.

“They’ve got such depth now and that’s what you’ve got to have a look at as an international team.”

Eddie Jones says Japan needs to invest more in its own players. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

As for taking on his former Randwick, Jones said he never doubted he would be welcomed back at the famed club and said the exhibition match was a great concept to keep the spirit alive.

“I was born and bred as a club player, so to come back to an occasion like this, it’s just fun. It’s good fun,” he said.

“We all started rugby because it was fun and you want to keep making it fun. Sometimes it’s difficult for it to be fun, so that’s the main thing.

“You can see there’s good spirit here.”