Prospects appear low for England after a miserable Six Nations campaign, and Danny Care believes change must come from head coach Eddie Jones if fortunes are to improve.
The team has a little less than 18 months before the 2023 Rugby World Cup kicks off in France, having just completed a second straight Six Nations with a losing record. Jones has succeeded in promoting a number of new first-team stars in recent months, but Harlequins veteran Care has suggested the boss is lagging behind.
"Every other thing has changed - players, other coaches, backroom staff, physios - apart from one person," he said on the latest episode of the Rugby Union Weekly podcast. "Something isn't quite working and it hasn't for a couple of years."
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has remained firm in its assessment that Jones is the man to lead England through to the end of his contract after next year's World Cup. That's despite a growing wave of pressure from fans for there to be a change after the team scored just eight tries in their five Six Nations games.
It's understood the union is on the lookout for Jones' successor as he seeks to reach a second straight Rugby World Cup final, however. Leicester Tigers chief Steve Borthwick—who previously worked under the Australian as forwards coach—has been touted as one contender to come in alongside his former mentor.
The promotion of new regulars like full-back Freddie Steward and Care's club team-mate Marcus Smith have worked to good effect. However, Jones has also been critiqued for lacking structure in places, such as hiring coaches Anthony Seibold (defence) and Martin Gleeson (attack), each of whom hail from rugby league backgrounds.
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"I want England to be playing a brand of rugby that excites and inspires me," added Care, 35, whose last appearance for his country came in November 2018. "I don't think they are being trusted enough to say their bit and do what they want to do - and we know there is a bit of fear factor in this camp.
"Eddie is not a bad coach, but something isn't quite working. He has to give the players a little more trust or give [attack coach] Martin Gleeson the trust to say this is how we are going to play. England have got an awful lot of work to do if they are going to be anywhere near the best teams."
England were considered major favourites to beat South Africa in Japan almost three years ago after overcoming New Zealand in the semi-finals. Jones' men were handily defeated 32-12, however, 16 years after he suffered similar disappointment on home soil against England as Wallabies coach.
The 62-year-old has made no secret of his intention to step down next year, at which point he'll be the longest-serving England head coach of all time. Many have asked whether the results of recent years call for a swifter response, however.
England are favoured to at least progress out of a Pool C line-up that also includes Argentina, Japan, Samoa and a final qualifier out of either Chile or the United States. Failure to do so would represent a new low in the Jones era and a second time in three World Cups in which the team will have fallen at the first hurdle.
Care's exclusion from the international team in recent years is considered by some just one call in which Jones has made a miscalculation. It wouldn't appear to be the only one judging by this year's underwhelming Six Nations, and the Quins star wants change sooner rather than later to salvage their hopes for France 2023.
