'A leaf out of the UFC book': Suggestion for the Killik Cup could put Eddie Jones in his element

2023 is shaping up to be a mouth-watering year for rugby fans, one of the rare spectacles on offer is coming to Twickenham on May 28th, when an Eddie Jones-led Barbarians team will take on a World XV side coached by old foe Sir Steve Hansen – a Killik Cup match that offers a unique opportunity for experimentation.

The coaching matchup has drawn plenty of attention, with over two decades of history between Jones and Hansen adding further anticipation and X-factor to the all-star contest.

Famously, the two last met at the 2019 Rugby World Cup when Jones’ England dispatched Hansen’s All Blacks in the semi-finals. Hansen’s reign as All Blacks head coach ended at the conclusion of the tournament, his men claimed the bronze medal while Jones’ departed Tokyo with silver.

The prospect of a World XV playing under the guidance of the man who steered the All Blacks through perhaps their most dominant era was discussed between Riccardo Ball and Jamie Wall on SENZ this week.

“It’d be interesting if they took a leaf out of the UFC book,” Riccardo Ball said. “You know how they have both fighters sat on either side of the podium at the presser? Maybe they should do that with this and have Hansen and Jones on either side of a podium, what do you reckon?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Wall replied. “That’s the cool thing about these games that could really be explored, is that you could try them out to do something like that. I’m sure those two wouldn’t have any problem doing that at all considering it is a glorified friendly.”

Jones’ famous mind games were on full display when the coaches last met in Tokyo, piling the pressure on Hansen’s All Blacks and claiming his England side had zero pressure on their own shoulders.

How the former England coach’s cheek would translate into a UFC-style press conference and just how the stoic Hansen would respond are merely topics of jovial speculation at this point, and while Jones’ character is considered a wildcard in the rugby landscape, it falls someway short of the likes of Connor McGregor that set the UFC world alight.

Wall said the attention that the coaching matchup had received so far was in itself evidence of a change in the game.

“When I saw this news it really struck me just how much the cult of the coach has taken over Test rugby, because really when you talk about a game between a World XV and a Baa-Baas XV that is going to hopefully attract the best players, we should really be talking about the players, not the guys coaching them.

“I mean, it’s kind of cool that they’re going to be back in each coaching box and everything but really, what effect it’s going to have on what is a festival game basically and a glorified p–s-up, is pretty negligible.

“But I’m sure they’ll both have plenty to say before, during and after the game.”