Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Jones' bizarre 'right direction' and 'not far away' England claim

(Photo by Alex Davidson/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Eddie Jones has remarkably claimed that his England team are not far away even though Saturday evening’s 13-27 hammering by the Springboks miserably brought the curtain down on the country’s worst series of results in a calendar year since 2008. Ten months out from the start of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, the English were dominated in the air and at the scrum in a defiant show of South African power.

ADVERTISEMENT

The heavy loss – the second-worst England margin of defeat against the Springboks at Twickenham – left Jones with a bleak 2022 record of Played 12: Won 5, Drew 1, Lost 6, with two of those losses coming in an abject November month in front of the home fans in London.

Only Japan were beaten across the past four Saturdays at HQ, England woundingly losing to Argentina and South Africa and managing a miracle 25-all draw with the All Blacks after trailing 6-25 with eight minutes remaining.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Against the Springboks, England were 6-27 behind when Thomas du Toit was red-carded in the 61st minute but, unlike last weekend, there were no Hollywood fireworks on this occasion and the converted Henry Slade try was but a mere consolation on a devastating evening when boos rang around the ground at full-time.

At this post-game media briefing, Jones initially tried to claim England were moving in the correct direction, yet some minutes he did eventually hold his hand up and take responsibility for the serious downturn in results.

Related

“On results, we are not happy but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup, a really good base. A number of young players got some great experience today. They will come back better players from that and we have got other players coming back to form, some of our more senior players and we are not far away,” he said.

“We had five guys all under 20 Tests playing today, that’s one-third of the team… Selection-wise we are moving in the right direction. We have got a number of good young players coming through. A number of guys who have been out are coming back and are going to be in better form by the World Cup. I think we are (going) in the right direction.

ADVERTISEMENT

“In terms of strategy, strategy is an interesting word in rugby. We want to play to our strengths and sometimes you are allowed to play to your strengths and sometimes you have got to find another way to play so we are always looking to see how we can become more adaptable in that area.”

But seriously Eddie, if that is what moving in the right direction looks like, are you suggesting that losing doesn’t really matter for England? “It’s always a problem. We want to win. We don’t want to get beaten by a big score by South Africa and we don’t want to have the worst record since 2008 so it’s a problem. I accept full responsibility for that so that is all I can say.

“It’s a bit of a watershed game for us,” he continued. “We came into this game with high expectations of how we wanted to play on the back of New Zealand and Japan and you know if you look at the first three games we have dominated territory and possession and this game, South Africa were a bit too tough for us in the air, a bit too tough for us at the set-piece so I know exactly where we have got to improve.

“We lost the air, lost the scrum battle. When you play against a team as uncompromising as South Africa and you lose both of those key contests, it’s hard to get in the game. I can’t fault the effort of our team. We went in there with a good design on how we wanted to play. When you lose those two key contests it’s hard to turn the game around, it’s hard to find a way into the game.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Rubbing salt in the gaping England wound was the casualty rate on a night they were physically beaten up in the collision zone by the Springboks. “We have got a few (Injuries). Will Stuart, elbow. Not sure of the extent. Marcus Smith, ankle. Kyle Sinckler has got a hip injury. It wasn’t a good day for us. It’s one of those days when nothing seems to go right.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

6 Comments
K
Kenward K. 708 days ago

Time will tell.

D
David 708 days ago

Sam Cane is not the right person to to be captain.
Clarke should be tried at centre.

R
Rouan 708 days ago

I think England need to think about their 10, 12, 13 axis. It’s not working. 1 year in rugby tob the World Cup is a long time, SA were rubbish before winning in 2019. I would never write off England and Eddie Jones.

P
PutMeInCoach 708 days ago

People don't understand Eddie's plan. Rugby Pass "journalism" is getting poorer by the week. Not sure if this is an article, or should be down here in the comment section. Watch Squidge Rugby's analysis on YouTube and you will see Eddie's got a plan. It may not work...and granted he's behind the curve, but England will surprise in the RWC even if they are average in 6 Nations. As a fan, have faith...try not to be too typically English.

M
Michael Röbbins (academic and writer extraordinair 709 days ago

Never underestimate the power of denial, someone once said. Piece of Sophia: players don’t learn much from an arse kicking. Keep up the sophistry, Eddie ole buddy: Seems you got a good audience for it who evidently don’t know “sic ‘em!” from “come here!”

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith' Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith'
Search