Eddie Jones has been confirmed as the new Head Coach of the England rugby team, but can he return them to the glory days?
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Jones is a veteran of worldwide Test rugby; Lancaster made his debut at that level almost four years ago against the Six Nations opponents Jones will also face first time up: England’s dear friends, the Scots.
Former boss Stuart Lancaster stood down on November 11 after England became the first host nation to exit the World Cup in the group stage.
New England head coach Eddie Jones has no plans to remain in the role beyond the 2019 Rugby World Cup in four years’ time. That is rugby, that is sport and you just have to get on with it. But at least now I can keep trying to play for Saracens and no longer have the feeling in the back of my mind I have got to please someone all the time when they do not want pleasing.
“While this is very disappointing for us all at WP Rugby and the Stormers, Eddie is quite clearly the most sought-after coach in world rugby and this is the biggest and most lucrative job in global rugby”, said Western Province Rugby Football Union President, Thelo Wakefield.
The 55-year-old also broadly addressed pressing items on the agenda, namely the future of captain Chris Robshaw, who is to be given a “blank sheet”, the identity of his assistants and the inability to select players based overseas. I did not take part in the RFU’s review in the end. You can be a devil one day and an angel the next day. I was happy with that.
Despite having his computer taken away by hospital staff, Jones wrote his response on three pieces of paper, photographed them on his mobile phone and sent it to the United Kingdom where Japan were on tour so they could be edited for his column.
As an incidental insight into the mountain of detail Jones already has at his fingertips, he was aware that Chris Robshaw has a coffee business, as he revealed when he was asked if he would treat Lancaster’s captain with sensitivity when he sits down for the chat he intends to have with him.
“Obviously, when you are playing against your own country, you feel something”, added Jones, England’s first foreign head coach. Secondly, whatever values we’ve got in the team they’ve got to live those values. He said: “How can you manage your players when they are controlled by other organisations?”
“There are a few good young players here, certainly going towards the World Cup”. He cleans the changing room after the game and that’s the sort of guy you want.
“I wasn’t the coach of England then, I was a newspaper columnist”, Jones said Friday.
Eddie Jones is officially the new coach of the England rugby team.
To me, Robshaw is an outstanding club player, but at worldwide level he just doesn’t have that point of difference.
“Everyone says New Zealand are a great attacking side, and they are, but they kick the ball more than anyone”.
“I’ve watched a couple of his games since the World Cup and, like all the players, they are starting from zero”.
Being married to Eddie Jones must be interesting.
Jones’s reputation has soared because of his handling of Japan in the World Cup. We want the All Blacks to be watching how England play – that would be nice wouldn’t it!
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“You always have a bit of a view when you’re outside the tent”.
