Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Rob Baxter on England job and Eddie Jones exit

By PA
Rob Baxter is interviewed by BT Sport before the Aviva Premiership match between Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs at Franklin's Gardens. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Rob Baxter has expressed his surprise at the timing of Eddie Jones’ departure as England head coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jones was sacked on Tuesday, less than nine weeks before England’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Scotland and just nine months before the World Cup starts.

His seven-year reign came to an end following a Rugby Football Union review of the Autumn Nations Series, which produced defeats against Argentina and South Africa, plus a draw with New Zealand.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick, who masterminded Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership title triumph last season, is a clear favourite to succeed Jones.

Exeter rugby director Baxter inspired the Chiefs’ Champions Cup win in 2020 and two Premiership title successes, compiling an impressive CV that has previously contributed to him being linked with English rugby’s top job.

Baxter, though, has recently signed a contract extension with the Chiefs, and has no intention of leaving Devon.

On Jones, Baxter said: “I kind of thought with the timing getting towards this second half of the season, through the Six Nations and building towards the World Cup, I was a little surprised the decision got made now.

ADVERTISEMENT

“There were grumblings and rumblings, but there are always are when England don’t win.

“But I will admit I was surprised the decision got made now.

“I have just signed a contract extension with Exeter, so my intention is to stay here.

“If you are asking have I applied for the England job? No. If you are asking me am I one of the guys under consideration? No, I am not.

“I have got a close affiliation to the club, my family has got a close affiliation to the club.

“It works me for me family-wise, and I am very proud of what we have achieved here.”

Exeter have confirmed long-term deals for Baxter, head coach Ali Hepher, forwards coach Rob Hunter and skills coach Ricky Pellow.

Exeter chief executive Tony Rowe said: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure the futures of four of our core coaches.

ADVERTISEMENT

“As a collective, they have been instrumental in the rise of the club in recent seasons, helping bringing a genuine level of on-field success.

“Having spoken with all of them, I know they share the same vision as myself of driving the club on to even greater things in the coming years.”

Baxter added: “Over the years, we have achieved a lot together, but I think I speak for all of us when I say we are all hungry to achieve more.

“Believe it or not, we take it pretty personally when the team don’t perform like we should, and that is the motivating factor for all of us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

F
Flankly 2 hours ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out' Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out'
Search