Former Australia coach Eddie Jones has become the first man to throw his hat into the ring publicly as the successor to former England trainer Andy Robinson.
Jones, who took Australia to the World Cup final in 2003 where they lost to England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson’s last-minute drop goal, was sacked a year ago following a run of eight defeats in nine games.
Currently in charge of Super 14 side the Queensland Reds, Jones told Britain’s Sunday Times he would happily take on the England role through to next year’s World Cup and could also be interested in a long-term role.
Robinson left his post last week and elite director of rugby Rob Andrew said he did not rule out the possibility of an first-ever non-Englishman taking charge.
”Having coached at international level I would like to do so again and a job coaching England is one of the biggest in the world,” Jones said.
”Nobody wants to see England doing poorly because it is not in the interests of the game globally, so if the RFU [Rugby Football Union] asked me to look at a 10-month contract through to the end of the World Cup I would most definitely give it serious consideration.”
Jones said he would be happy to work with England’s current three assistant coaches — Brian Ashton, John Wells and Mike Ford — who were taken on this year but warned that they might not be part of his long-term plan.
Natural instinct
”In a short-term situation like this you must, and the only reason you would change anything is if the staff won’t adapt. But you cannot keep on doing the same thing, because you will keep on losing if you do. You have to change,” Jones said.
As for what he would do to start England’s revival, Jones said he would throw in rugby league convert Andy Farrell at inside centre.
”He’s got that natural instinct and will only get better. I saw a video of him playing Northampton recently and although he’s still raw and 10 games away from knowing what to do, he runs good lines, and has great distribution skills and physical presence,” he added of the former Britain rugby league captain whose move to union, part-funded by the Rugby Football Union, has been protracted after an injury-hit year.
”With a big number 12 who gets over the gain-line combined with England’s forward power, you won’t go too far wrong,” Jones added.
Jones said that England had been too conservative in trying out younger players, citing 20-year-old Gloucester flyhalf Ryan Lamb as one who should have been given a chance.
He also said that it was wrong to write off England’s chances of successfully defending the World Cup in France next year.
”The chances of reaching a semifinal are pretty good. You [England] have to beat South Africa in the group stage, but, if you do, anything can happen because you get momentum.
”Australia in 2003 is a classic example because at first we didn’t look like a team who could get to the final.”
England’s next match is against Scotland in the Six Nations championship on February 3. — Reuters