Sir Clive Woodward has taken aim at Eddie Jones yet again with the Australian now out of a job after being sacked as England coach.
He claimed the 62-year-old’s tenure will be remembered for “misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises” with Leicester Tigers' Steve Borthwick currently the favourite to replace him.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) review panel met Jones yesterday afternoon to discuss the side’s poor results this year, winning just five of 12 Test matches. RFU Chief executive Bill Sweeney made a recommendation to the RFU board today, when the decision was finalised.
Jones had been determined to keep coaching and was keen to lead England into the 2023 World Cup in France - but after a string of poor results - England’s worst run of form since 2008, changes have been made. Woodward, one of Jones’ most fierce critics, has assessed his seven-year reign and what legacy he will leave behind - and he didn’t hold back.
“What will Jones’s legacy be? The semi-final victory over New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup was his best performance but unfortunately, he will be remembered for the misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises,” he wrote in his Daily Mail column . “I don’t think history will remember this period of English rugby too kindly.”
While the 2003 Rugby World Cup winning coach is sad to see Jones’ time at the helm come to an end, he explained some of the reasons that contributed to his downfall. “I’m always sorry to see people lose their job but Eddie Jones has been badly distracted since the last World Cup and he’s paid the price," he added.
“He’s a much better coach than he has shown over the past three years. He is a shadow of the Jones I competed with and whose first years with England were so successful and rightfully applauded. He became completely focused on the 2023 World Cup and that was a costly error.”
Woodward has offered his support to Borthwick, the likely new coach of the England team and hopes he is given the tools needed to succeed, while also calling for his defence coach at Leicester Kevin Sinfield to be recruited to England’s coaching set-up. “If it is Steve Borthwick who comes in then we’ve all got to get behind him and I wish him all the best,” he added.
“I hope they don’t just pick him because he’s an Englishman. I hope they pick him because they think he’s the best coach in the world. I knew Borthwick as a player and he must be given the full support and resources to ensure there are no excuses.
“The one thing for sure is the media bandwagon around Jones will disappear with Steve — what you see is what you get and that alone will be a breath of fresh air. I have no doubt every single English player will look forward to working with him and his team.
