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Danny Cipriani goes in hard on Eddie Jones following radio remarks
By Ian Cameron
Former England flyhalf Danny Cipriani has blasted Eddie Jones on X following the Australian’s remarks this week about the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the quality of players it produces.
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Despite his own profound problems with the Wallabies since taking over earlier this year, Jones has pointed the finger at the RFU for England’s current malaise. Jones, who’s never been short of a soundbite, took the opportunity to have yet another pop at his former employers in a radio interview in the UK.
“It’s a difficult situation, like you’ve got an ageing team,” Jones told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. “Anyone who knows anything about sport can see that and then you’ve got new players coming in. Some of them have come through and done really well, like a Freddie Steward, others are still finding their feet, like a Marcus Smith.
“You look at the results of England over the last five years but they’re not producing quality players.
“And so everyone looks at the head coach and let’s blame the head coach. But the onus on producing quality players is the RFU and that hasn’t happened.”
Cipriani has taken issue with Jones’ attack on the RFU, labelling his comments a ‘cop out’ and accusing his former boss of running England further into the ground.
“What an unbelievable cop out. Once again… As the head coach of England you set the standard to follow, not by winning, by being a leader people look up to or admire, being accountable and inspiring a nation through your vision.
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“Not by belittling employees, running through staff, having a limited understanding of the game and getting hired because the RFU don’t know what they are looking for hence why they employed Eddie. RFU have a huge role to play but Eddie passing the buck is not news.
“Rugby needs to make a change in this country,” wrote Cipriani. “Eddie ran it further into the ground from a shocking 2015 W/C exit. If getting to the World Cup final in 2019 or even winning it in 2003 was enough to expand the game then that’s what would have happened.
“RFU have a huge role to play, it’s not a serious business. Selling Twickenham out is not difficult. Only when they don’t will they think to look in the mirror… He [Eddie Jones] got employed by those people who don’t know how to identify talent because they fell for his chat.”
Cipriani won a handful of caps under Jones but was never able to convince the fiery Aussie that he was right for the team.
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One day more will come out about Eddie Jones.......Ford, Farrel et al and the damage they have done to English Rugby........with Eddie Jones 2.0 now in command there may well be no one left to care.....
Completely agree with DC. Jones had initial success based on the foundation built by Stuart lancaster. When he had to build his own side it unravelled.
I might not always agree with Eddie Jones but I have a great deal of respect for the work he has done through his coaching career. These comments from Cipriani further add to the stack illustrating clearly why he is where he is and set a very fine example to any gifted youngster of how not to behave.
Agree. It's far too all about Eddie as far as Eddie is concerned. All mouth and no trousers.
I think Jones is referring to the gutting of the U20s pathways. He has a point and Cipriani doesn’t address this issue.
Also been a huge fan of Cipriani. As a Scot, I shiver to think what England could have achieved with him at 10. I suspect that they would have been far closer to the ABs in style and results as his flair and off the cuff approach, playing what he sees in front of him, would have increased the skill levels demanded of others around him.
I suspect Eddie is right in parts, but England's neglect of Cipriani has been criminal. Then again, the roundheads did defeat the cavaliers, so what do I know???
Always been a fan of Cips. A wild child, made a few mistakes for sure but he matured. No ENG team was prepared to take on the maverick renegade 10. Same problem Marcus Smith will always have. Meanwhile Scotland excel with another maverick Russell... They play the game how they see it. Not a robotic formulation such as ENGs Box kick or 2 pass hoof rinse and repeat.