Was it right to sack Eddie Jones?
By Ollie McKenna
A year on from their dismal exit at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, few could believe it possible that England would be flying home from Australia 3-0 series victors, with a ten-game unbeaten run since being dumped out of their own tournament by the Aussies themselves. Behind it all? An Aussie, who had reignited the fire in the national team’s belly.
Although Eddie Jones would never represent his country of birth, it is difficult to argue that he is not the one bit Australian. A feisty hooker in his playing day, Jones was rewarded by numerous appearances for the NSW Waratahs as well as England’s most successful club side, Leicester Tigers. Jones would soon pass into the realm of coaching and immediately became a hit with the ACT Brumbies, before securing his first big-gig as Australian Head Coach in 2001.
After defeating the favoured All Blacks in the semi-final of the 2003 World Cup, it seemed destined that Jones would be the man to lead the Australians to their thir championship. Although it would be his current employers who would snatch the game with an extra time drop goal from Johnny Wilkinson.
Four years later Jones was to have his revenge as his new employers, South Africa, would triumph over the English in the 2007 World Cup. Jones was absent from the 2011 edition, although he returned in 2015 as the head-coach of Japan. He masterminded a victory over his former employers, the Springboks, before recording victories over Samoa and the USA. Yet, Jones’s Japan would join England after failing to progress to the knockout stage.
Just 40 days after Japan’s victory over the Eagles, Jones was hired to fix an England team who were crumbling apart. One World Cup final, one Grand Slam, three Six Nations titles, and 59 wins later, Jones was sacked after a poor run of form in this year’s Autumn Nations. So, why did England choose to sack one of the most successful coaches in Rugby World Cup history, just eight months before the tournament was set to begin?
Former England player, and one of Jones’ stalwarts in the back row, James Haskell described the decision as “utter madness”. Haskell’s England teammate Chris Robshaw echoed this sentiment, saying in a recent interview that he was “Devastated for Eddie”. Despite overwhelming support from his former players, it appeared that Jones was losing favour with the media and the England Support.
He is irrefutably one of England’s greatest ever coaches
The fans are the mob. Ever since Jones lost the support of the mob, he had been teetering on the edge of the abyss. Groans were audible as a predictable starting line-up was read out at Twickenham, but the boos after their 13-27 defeat to South Africa were the last nail in the coffin for Eddie.
Once so good at traversing the borderlands of media criticism, while simultaneously canvassing support from the mob and antagonising those who stood in his way; Jones no longer had the backing he needed to continue.
Despite glimpses in their miraculous 25-25 draw versus the All Blacks — a performance which was often poor itself — England showed a lack of adventure and willingness to attack. They often looked at the sea while playing and would resort to box-kicking for territory.
The introduction of young blood, in the form of, Jack Van-Poortvliet, Marcus Smith and Alex Coles, has yet to inspire any improvement in the national side and has left many questioning whether there is a talent drought in the English game. However, some would argue to the contrary that Jones has been selecting the wrong talent and needs to consider recycling some of the older legs in the squad. So, what is it then, tactics, selection, players, or is it just Eddie?
In whatever way you choose to view Eddie Jones, he is irrefutably one of England’s greatest — and most successful — ever coaches. It is looking like Steve Borthwick is the frontrunner to replace Jones; with a Six Nations and World Cup on the horizon, he will have massive strides to take if England is to win any silverware this year.
For Jones, he will go back to the drawing board, scheming another World Cup victory. With a knack for defeating his former employers, I wouldn’t be surprised if England were to face an Eddie Jones-led team in the future, but we can, but pray, it’s not in a World Cup final.
Image: Marc via Flickr
