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Felix Jones has handed in his resignation as England defence coach

By PA
England's defence coach Felix Jones at training in June (Photo by Steve Bardens/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Felix Jones has resigned as England’s defence coach in a shock development that continues the recent upheaval to Steve Borthwick’s backroom staff. Jones has been an important figure for England since his recruitment 10 months ago from South Africa, who he helped win back-to-back Rugby World Cups under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus.

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The 37-year-old former Ireland international was responsible for introducing the blitz defence that was starting to bear fruit after some teething problems early in the Guinness Six Nations. Its aggressive nature troubled New Zealand in July when England fell to narrow defeats in Dunedin and Auckland.

Although Jones has handed in his resignation, the PA news agency understands his contract contains a 12-month notice period that would keep him in place until next summer if triggered by the Rugby Football Union. News of his surprise departure comes in the wake of influential head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters dropping an equally unexpected bombshell by defecting to Ireland.

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Walters was an influential voice on the training field whose involvement extended beyond his strength and conditioning duties and he was joined through the exit door by Tom Tombleson, a long-serving member of the conditioning staff. The uncertainty surrounding the England management team includes Kevin Sinfield, the rugby league great who was demoted to skills coach to accommodate Jones’ arrival.

Sinfield was poised to step down after the recent tour to Japan and New Zealand but his popularity amongst the players, as well as his experience, was seen as too valuable to lose. However, an extension of his stay and in what capacity has yet to be confirmed.

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Jones’ desire to leave is understood to be linked to Walters’ departure, with the two forming a strong working relationship while serving under Erasmus with Munster and then South Africa. But the churn of backroom staff – a destructive theme of the Eddie Jones era – also asks questions of Borthwick’s methods.

Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth, scrum coach Tom Harrison and coaching consultant Andrew Strawbridge are now the only confirmed members of Borthwick’s management team heading into the autumn. The All Blacks’ visit to Twickenham on November 2 opens a schedule that continues with fixtures against Australia, South Africa and Japan and it remains to be seen if Jones will be involved.

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Borthwick will see the development as a huge setback having repeatedly hailed the impact made by Jones, whose knowledge he has described as “groundbreaking”.

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Comments

54 Comments
T
Terry24 81 days ago

Article in the Sunday Times today cited "an unstable working environment". There is confusion also around the role of Kevin Sinfield whom Jones replaced as defense coach. Sinfield was due to resign after the Japan/NZ tour but had stayed on.

That's Tom Tombleson, Aled Walters and Felix Jones gone now within a short period.

T
Tom 81 days ago

Wait, England had a coach called Tom Tombleson? Wtf lol

R
RT 81 days ago

Disappointing but not something that can't be overcome, these coaches are mercenaries with no real attachment to English rugby. RFU / Borthwick should only appointment committed English coaches surely there's enough English talent out there.

T
Terry24 81 days ago

You have absolutely no substantiation that Jones has acted in a mercenary way. As an Irishman he helped SA to two RWCs. His influence has already been noted with the England team. Walters gone, Tom Tombleson is English and involved for 10 years, also gone. Role of Kevin Sinfield (English) also unclear. Nice anti-foreigner rant. But notr grounded in reality.

m
midnight mangler 81 days ago

Mercenaries? Jones was loyal to SA rugby for 6 years and gave every sense of being committed to the teams’ success - two world cups later…. Smacks of something wrong in the England setup if they can’t retain him frankly!

f
fl 82 days ago

Well this is awful news.


Hopefully Sinfield goes back to coaching defence? There's some great coaches in the prem atm (Vesty, Dowson, Skivington) but not convinced anyone stands out as appropriate for the defence brief.

T
Terry24 81 days ago

Not good news. I think England would be wise to keep Jones (use some of the 12 month clause) at least to transition in someone new. Losing the defence coach after the establishment of a new defense system can be hurt the team.

I think England should stick to the defense system they have and that may involve Jones advising someone for several months in the England camp

B
Bull Shark 81 days ago

How are those chances of moving to 4th in the world? Reckon in our lifetime?


The Times reports that Jones exits his position at the Rugby Football Union due to becoming “unhappy with an unstable working environment” in the England set-up. Planet Rugby.


Anyone stand out for Borthwick’s job? He’s next.


Coaches and assistant coaches must be chatting to each other behind the scenes like it’s rugby Tinder.

T
Terry24 82 days ago

If RFU had a 12 month notice clause they could ask Jones to overlap with his replacement so that there is continuity for the rush defence project.

D
DP 81 days ago

Sinfeld staying would be the logical choice HOWEVER he was jettisoned or deemed surplus to requirements so how does the harmony around the coaching table unfold?

W
Wayneo 81 days ago

I hear they do have one.

B
Bull Shark 82 days ago

This is just so unlike England. Normally they change all their coaches just before the World Cup.


Must be trying a new tactic.

T
Terry24 82 days ago

Jones departure due to close working relationship with Walters. Walters has defected to Ireland...no place like home Felix!

R
Rob 82 days ago

And if the rfu waive the 12 month notice period there wouldn’t be a better time seeing as Farrell will be away for the 6 nations and Easterbury taking over

D
DP 82 days ago

Dear oh dear England… just to say that Walters and Jones were revered amongst the Bok coaching staff and players alike… yet neither chose to stick around with England. Jones is top tier now, Ireland next up with the top job once Farrell leaves.

B
Bull Shark 81 days ago

Each World Cup medalists too.

T
Terry24 82 days ago

Was Jones actually defence or attack coach with SA or was Nienaber doing defense himself?

S
SC 82 days ago

Would love to see Felix named All Blacks defence coach.


Fair trade for Tony Brown.

T
Terry24 81 days ago

"Felix" is Irish not SA. You may not be getting much from Ireland in the next several years. All Blacks ltd not a popular brand within Irish rugby which Jones will be aware of.

B
Bull Shark 82 days ago

If Leon was attack coach, would Felix be joining NZ as attack coach - the post he held with the boks?


I think Felix is going to Ireland.

R
RK 82 days ago

Felix Jones’s should come back to SA, England management is obvious deeply chaotic

B
Bull Shark 82 days ago

No space for him. Pretty certain he’s going to Ireland.

H
Hellhound 82 days ago

Ireland or NZ? Didn't NZ just lose McDonald? Strange coincidence. Felix don't just jump ship. He has been with SA for 2 WC's. He isn't even a year there and boom, he is leaving.

B
Bull Shark 82 days ago

🍿


Interesting approach to rebuilding, England.

J
JK 82 days ago

just when they were getting back to interesting...

B
Bull Shark 82 days ago

10 bucks says he’s going to Ireland.

W
Wayneo 81 days ago

You're on mate, my 10 bucks says Australia.

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J
JW 2 minutes ago
Scott Robertson explains the new halves pairing for the All Blacks ahead of France

More indecision and excuses from Razor.


You've given a spot at 6 to Finau whom you haven't even had the courage to use off the bench in the last two games. Now the young enforcer is going into a big much with no rugby, we should expect a similar result to how Aumua struggled to impact a game after he'd hardly been given any chances of the bench either.


Weve now dropped a back three player who also wasn't even given any game time off the bench for someone coming in cold when they really need to have been playing constantly to perform at their best. There are just so many better pictures that should have been present rather than this mickey mouse selection.


I really hope Finau can overcome this, it won't be the first time he's had to. How is the bench even made up? Could you not just have included these changes in the article as well? I actually like BB coming back in, it highlights how courageous he is after sitting out through another concussion that could just as easily sent him back into months of symptoms again.


Dmac was also off his game last week, as was Ratima, with the poor platform Razor and his team have been setting the players up with. He needs to freedom to clear his mind from the clutter that saw him make so many bad decisions last week. It will still probably be a net loss for the team performance not having him on from the start but it should be better for them in the long run if he's allowed to just come on late and play his game trying to claw things back for the team.


With Roigard starting that might prove an outlet for the team to actually get on top first however. Along with Ardie busting a gut in his new role and emptying the tank by halftime, and being replaced by another new star, might mean that Dmac is just icing on the cake at the end.

10 Go to comments
F
Flankly 28 minutes ago
Jake White: If I was England coach, I’d have been livid

I am not an England fan, but still very disappointed at what Borthwick is serving up. Regardless of winning or losing, they should be executing the basics at a world class level. That was the reason they replaced Eddie with Steve. After two years England has not built the solid foundations that the RFU were presumably after. Its hard to see it as anything other than a coaching problem.


Having said that I really hope that Rassie has got his team fired up for the game. The Boks at maximum intensity and with no crises (eg red cards) would be expected to win this game. But it does not take much reduction in pressure for Bok teams to lose. The Boks lose when complacency sets in.


On Felix Jones, my guess is that they can't agree on a non-compete so they kept him on payroll for the duration of the Nov tests. The risk was that he would be hired by Rassie or Razor prior to the tests.


As relates to law tweaking, it feels like WR are more comfortable discussing changes in laws than insisting on implementation. For my money the biggest thing they could do is to be strict and consistent in officiating ruck behavior. In every game we see flopping, lazy lying, clearing of unbound players, making plays while off your feet, delays in placing the ball, side entry, offside line infringements, and similar nonsense. It's really really bad, and the WR attitude seems to be that we should turn a blind eye in pursuit of "flowing rugby". In truth it's just boring, because it randomizes the outcome.

9 Go to comments
N
NH 2 hours ago
Battle of the breakdown to determine Wallabies’ grand slam future

Nice one John. I agree that defence (along with backfield kick receipt/positioning) remains their biggest issue, but that I did see some small improvements in it despite the scoreline like the additional jackal attempts from guys like tupou and the better linespeed in tight. But, I still see two issues - 1) yes they are jackaling, but as you point out they aren't slowing the ball down. I think some dark arts around committing an extra tackler, choke tackles, or a slower roll away etc could help at times as at the moment its too easy for oppo teams to get quick ball (they miss L wright). Do you have average ruck speed? I feel like teams are pretty happy these days to cop a tackle behind the ad line if they still get quick ball... and 2) I still think the defence wide of the 3-4th forward man out looks leaky and disconnected and if sua'ali'i is going to stay at 13 I think we could see some real pressure through that channel from other teams. The wallabies discipline has improved and so they are giving away less 3 pt opportunities and kicks into their 22 via penalty. Now, they need to be able to force teams to turnover the ball and hold them out. They scramble quite well once a break is made, but they seem to need the break to happen first... Hunter, marika and daugunu were other handy players to put ruck pressure on. Under rennie, they used to counter ruck quite effectively to put pressure on at the b/down as well.

3 Go to comments
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