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Owen Farrell: Players not behind Eddie Jones' sacking

(Photo by Getty Images)

England captain Owen Farrell feels the decision to sack Eddie Jones as head coach was “unbelievably disappointing”.

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Australian Jones was sacked on Tuesday after overseeing England’s worst year of results since 2008.

Leicester’s director of rugby Steve Borthwick is favourite to succeed Jones, whose seven-year England reign came to an end just nine months before the 2023 World Cup – and with the Six Nations campaign set to start in February.

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Farrell believes Jones – who had taken the team to the 2019 World Cup final – should not shoulder all of the blame.

Speaking to BBC Sport following Saracens’ Heineken Champions Cup win over Edinburgh on Sunday, fly-half Farrell said: “It’s unbelievably disappointing.

“Eddie had been a big part of England rugby for a long time now and he has been one of the best coaches I have ever had so, for that, I’m massively thankful.

“We are disappointed it has finished early and we owe a lot to him.

“I have been around for a while now and not been around too many changes, both at club and international level. It’s not pleasant to go through.

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“I don’t think it has come from the players. There is obviously stuff we all want to get better at from the results, but as players you look at yourself and see what you can do.”

Borthwick remains the firm favourite to succeed Jones, but the Leicester boss has totally distanced himself from questions on England, concentrating on Tigers’ tricky first European assignment against the Ospreys, and he maintained that stance following a 23-17 victory in Swansea.

“I have always said since I started here two years ago that we only look to the next week,” Borthwick said.

“My head is on Clermont (Auvergne) next Saturday. As soon as the final whistle happens, my head is on the next game.

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“Right now, we should be respectful of this game and this competition. It was a tight game, and I am very proud of the players.”

Despite Borthwick resting a host of top names such as England pair Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs, Argentina hooker Julian Montoya and South Africa number eight Jasper Wiese, Tigers prevailed.

Leicester trailed 10-6 at the break, but second-half tries from wing Harry Potter and full-back Anthony Watson – a stunning solo effort – put them in charge, while fly-half Charlie Atkinson converted both scores and kicked three penalties.

Watson, who joined Leicester from Bath earlier this year, is rapidly hitting top form again following his full recovery from injury.

Borthwick added: “I thought Anthony played really well and showed his class. I am so pleased for him.

“He is getting stronger, his pace is getting faster and faster each week. Immense credit to him. He has put in the hard work. He is one of the best players around in his position.

“I thought the character of the team was magnificent. The Ospreys were excellent – 650 caps in their matchday 23 – and we played our heart out and found a way to win.”

Ospreys claimed touchdowns from prop Nicky Smith and number eight Morgan Morris, plus two Jack Walsh conversions and a penalty, but it was their 12th successive Champions Cup defeat and they have not defeated English opposition in Europe for five years.

They also lost Wales centre George North just before half-time to a cheekbone injury that will require further examination in the next 24 hours or so.

“George has got a big bump under his eye. He has got some neural pain in it,” Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said.

“We won’t know until the swelling goes down, the nature of it, but he is pretty uncomfortable at the moment. You need to get the swelling down to get an accurate picture.”

Ospreys visit French champions Montpellier next weekend, with their European campaign already adopting an uphill appearance.

Booth added: “You spend a hell of a lot of effort to get into the main (European) competition, and to then not perform is disappointing.

“If you can’t build enough pressure when you have got the ball in the right areas of the pitch, you are going to come second.

“We need to go to Montpellier and play the French champions after the English ones (Leicester) and get a win in their back yard, which is going to be very difficult.”

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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
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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