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These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, August 3.
Former Test coach appears in court
The trial of former Wallabies coach Alan Jones begins in Sydney today, with the 85-year-old facing charges of indecent assault and sexual touching.
Jones – who coached Australia between 1984 and 1988 before pivoting to a highly successful career in broadcasting – faces 22 charges from six different complainants.
They include 20 indecent assault and two sexual touching charges, with the six complainants – all of whom are younger men – allegedly indecently assaulted by Jones between 2003 and 2020.
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Jones has long maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all 22 counts. After his first appearance in court in December 2024, he told reporters: “These allegations are either baseless or distort the truth.
“I have never indecently assaulted these people. The law assumes I am not guilty, and I am not guilty. I am emphatic that I’ll be defending every charge.”
The trial at Downing Centre local court is expected to run for four months and hear from 76 witnesses, The Guardian reports.
A former teacher, Jones took charge of the Wallabies for 102 matches and won 86 of them, including 23 victories in 30 Tests.
He led Australia to their first Bledisloe Cup win in New Zealand for nearly 40 years and was later made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to rugby in 1988.
Following his rugby coaching career, Jones became one of the most influential figures in Australian broadcasting, with his popular breakfast show on 2GB – which he hosted between 2002 and his retirement in 2020 – making him a major media personality.
He also previously worked in musical theatre and as a speech writer for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
Australia legend targets audacious comeback
Legendary Australia outside-half Quade Cooper has declared he would be interested in representing the Wallabies at the 2027 Rugby World Cup as he targets a remarkable comeback to Test rugby.
The 38-year-old is currently a coach at Japanese outfit Kintetsu Liners, but insists he has not retired from playing.
“The thing is I never retired,” he told Australian press this weekend. “I just had other opportunities that presented themselves and at the time when I was deciding do I want to keep playing, I was very mentally tired.
In his prime, Cooper was one of the most gifted backs of the modern era, with a skillset that had supporters on the edge of their seats.
He won 80 Test caps for the Wallabies over the course of 15 years, representing them at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups before playing his last game to date in 2023.
And with next year’s edition being held in Australia, Cooper admits he is very keen to be involved, despite turning 39 next April.
“Am I interested?,” he added. “I mean, who wouldn’t be, it’s a home World Cup and I still know I can play.
“So, of course, I’m interested, along with every other ex-player and every other up-and-coming young guy. I’m sure that everybody wants a piece of it in some way.”
England star for huge payday
England star Tommy Freeman is set to become the highest paid wing in the Gallagher Prem after signing a new deal with Northampton Saints, according to reports.
RugbyPass are reporting Freeman will remain at Franklin’s Gardens on a lucrative new contract.
Freeman has been one of the leading wingers in the Northern Hemisphere in recent times having scored 11 tries in 30 Test matches for England.
The 25-year-old also starred on last summer’s British & Irish Lions tour of Australia helping the tourists win the Test series 2-1 over the Wallabies.
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