Wallabies coach Eddie Jones backs push for new Canberra stadium

In an interview with the ABC, he said the role of the Brumbies in the national rugby circuit was important enough to justify more international rugby being played in the capital.

Mr Jones, who visited Canberra over the weekend as he puts together a team for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, said a new stadium would also be a "fantastic step" for the capital city.

A new stadium would allow Canberra to compete for the biggest sporting events in the country, slotting into an already competitive playing field, he said.

He said the current stadium in Bruce was "dated".

"I was just in Townsville four or five weeks ago and the stadium up there is fantastic. You need that to attract big games," he told the ABC.

"When the stadium is in the city, it creates a whole [atmosphere] about the games and about the sport that night; people are in pubs."

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The federal government has also urged ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr to seriously consider a Civic stadium and convention centre in the city and develop a proposal for Commonwealth funding.

Senator and former rugby player David Pocock has also advocated for the new stadium since campaigning during the election.

"The frustrating thing is that there's not a lot of recognition of the regional hub that we are," Senator Pocock said of the lack of investment in Canberra late last year.

Instead, the ACT government is looking to revamp the current Canberra Stadium.

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