Jones hires ex-NRL star Hodgson as Australia's defense coach

SYDNEY (AP) — Eddie Jones has appointed ex-NRL star Brett Hodgson as defense coach on a two-year deal as he starts building Australia’s management structure ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Rugby Australia announced the appointment Monday, the first since Jones returned as Wallabies head coach last month at the expense of Dave Rennie.

Hodgson worked briefly as defense coach in England last year before Jones was fired as head coach. He played more than 350 games at the highest level of rugby league in Australia and England, including winning an NRL premiership with Wests Tigers in 2005 and representing New South Wales in the annual State of Origin series against Queensland.

He moved into coaching in England and worked in both rugby codes before linking up with Jones.

“I’m really excited to be back in Australia and working with the Wallabies, especially in a World Cup year.” Hodgson said. “There’s plenty of hard work ahead and I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running and making a positive contribution to the team.”

Jones is still yet to announce his forwards and attack coaches.

“Brett’s a hard-working and detailed young coach who will be a great asset to the Wallabies and the coaching staff,” Jones said. "He’s worked under some great coaching mentors in his time as a player and a coach, so he’s well-schooled and I know he’ll give his best to the job of producing the best defense in the world.”

The 63-year-old Jones coached the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup final, which they lost to England, before being fired in 2005.

He became England's head coach in the wake of the country's group-stage exit in the World Cup it hosted in 2015. He won the Six Nations three times with England and racked up 18 straight wins through his mostly successful tenure, which included multiple victories over the Wallabies and a run to the World Cup final in 2019.

But he was fired in December after a poor recent run in England — six losses, one draw and five wins in 12 tests in 2022 — and moved back to Australia last month to replace Rennie, who led the Wallabies to wins in just five of 14 test matches last year.

Jones will have only five test matches in charge before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France in September.

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