Socceroos coach Popovic taps rugby supremo Jones ahead of World Cup

Australia manager Tony Popovic has consulted former Wallabies and England rugby coach Eddie Jones as he fine‑tunes preparations for this summer’s World Cup. Popovic revealed he met Jones in Tokyo, gaining “a lot of information” from the veteran strategist, whose experience leading multiple nations and managing long tournament cycles proved invaluable.

The Socceroos boss is also planning discussions with Australian Rules coaches to better understand how to handle mandatory drinks breaks, which will effectively divide matches into four quarters at the June–July event in North America. Popovic, set for his first World Cup as a coach, said he is studying how AFL teams reset momentum and regain control after stoppages. Australia, appearing at their sixth consecutive World Cup, have been drawn into Group D alongside co‑hosts the United States, Paraguay and a yet‑to‑be‑determined European qualifier, and are searching for any competitive edge.