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Tokyo - Wales attack coach Stephen Jones admitted on Tuesday his Rugby World Cup call-up was a "a bit of a shock" after he was a last-minute replacement for Rob Howley, who was axed in a betting row.
Jones said he was at home in Cardiff when he received the surprise call, after Howley was sent home just days before the tournament to answer accusations of illegal betting.
"It was a bit of a shock," said Jones, the former Wales and British and Irish Lions flyhalf, adding that he would have been doing the school run this week if he hadn't flown out to Japan.
"When I got the call it was pretty much a straight-away decision. Very fortunate I've got a supportive wife as well, so it was an instant decision," he said.
Jones joined the Wales camp in Toyota City last week after Howley, Wales' attack coach under Warren Gatland since 2008, left to face an investigation.
He had been due to replace Howley after the World Cup, when Gatland is also stepping down to coach the Waikato Chiefs in New Zealand.
"It's been manic if I'm honest but what a wonderful welcome I've had from the boys and management when I arrived in Toyota," said Jones of his whirlwind week.
"It's been fantastic from my end how I've been welcomed into that group. I'm fortunate in the sense that I've worked with a number of the players before and management.
"A lot of the senior players were excellent, they grabbed the helm and took the lead in a lot of the sessions from my end which was great."
After Wales saw off Georgia 43-14 in their Pool D opener, they go into a tough meeting with two-time world champions Australia in Tokyo on Sunday.
It will be the first major test for the Six Nations champions after they were forced to hastily reorganise following the Howley affair.
The Six Nations champions have a poor record against Australia, although they snapped a nine-year losing streak against the Wallabies when they beat them in Cardiff last November.
"Last time out Wales were successful against Australia, it's going to be a massive occasion. It's the one that as players you love, and coaches," said Jones.
"I look at it from our perspective, our boys will be looking forward to that challenge of going up against those boys," he added.
"We've got some wonderful players regarding skill sets, athletic ability, work rate off the ball. It's exciting from our end."
