WHAT NEXT FOR Eddie Jones? The future of the now former England head coach was high on the agenda on today’s episode of The42 Rugby Weekly Extra, where host Ciarán Kennedy was joined by former Ireland and Melbourne Rebels performance analyst Eoin Toolan.
After an eventful couple of days, the lads also looked at Warren Gatland’s return to the Wales hotseat and previewed the start of the new Champions Cup season, which kicks-off this weekend.
But today’s show started with a discussion on Jones’ ugly exit from the England job, and where the Australian might go from here.
Ciarán: “This one just feels like it really snowballed in recent weeks… The results were bad, but there has been more and more talk of the England camp being an unhappy camp, and while I know a lot of people feel Jones is a guy who gets results in a World Cup, my sense of it is if players aren’t enjoying camp and the atmosphere isn’t good, it’s very hard to turn that around.”
Eoin: “I think you’ve just struck a really important point. The intensity that he brings both from a playing perspective and what he demands of his coaches as well definitely has a lifespan. And I think even with Richard Cockerill coming in (as interim), he’s very similar, a highly intense disciplinarian. And as you said, modern day players just won’t really accept that type of coaching and leadership.
“I think when you reflect on all the murmurings coming out of an Andy Farrell-like camp about how open the environment is, how honest it is, how enjoyable it is, I think it’s such an important component for modern day players.”
Ciarán: ”As you say, players respond differently now to various management styles, so it’s interesting because regardless of how the England job has ended for him he’s still one of the biggest names out there in terms of coaching, so I’m wondering what is next for Eddie Jones?”
Eoin: “Oh he’ll have an array of opportunities. It was interesting that there was suggestions a couple of weeks ago about a 10-year deal over at US Rugby and trying to grow the game there ahead of a home World Cup.
“That could be an ideal project for Eddie Jones. I think he would probably thrive in that environment.
“He still consults with Suntory over in Japan, and I’m sure he’d have no shortage of opportunites back in Japan. And then the murmurings coming out of Australia is the other head coach coming under a significant amount of pressure – and you would think it was a sliding doors game – the Pivac/Dave Rennie situation, if Australia hadn’t come back and won that game Pivac probably keeps his job and I would say Dave Rennie would have come under immense pressure to keep his job.
“There has been a couple of reports over here on whether RA would make a fast approach for Eddie Jones given the poor run of results Australia have had over the last couple of years as well.”
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