Robshaw on why he thinks RFU ultimately sacked Eddie Jones

Former England captain Chris Robshaw has given an insight into why he believes the Rugby Football Union ultimately sacked Eddie Jones.

Jones was ‘dismissed’ last Tuesday following an RFU review into England’s diabolical Autumn Nations Series. While many believe it was the right call, others are not convinced letting the mercurial and at times difficult Australian go was the correct decision.

Robshaw, 36, who made his Test debut in 2009 and went on to win 66 international caps, played for a couple of seasons under Jones, who backed him despite the Harlequin leading England to an early Rugby World Cup exit in 2015.

Robshaw was speaking on BT Sports today and said he believes the RFU were looking ahead to a potential repeat of disaster at tough Guinness Six Nations.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised, I don’t know if it was the right call or not.

“You look at Eddie and what he has done at World Cups in the past, when he was with South Africa, he was a consultant at one.

“Then he’s gone to two finals and did what he did with Japan aswell. He also said judge me on that [World Cups], but I think the media turned on him.

“You look at that last game at South Africa when they didn’t particularly play well. The boos kind of echoing… that’s such a horrible feeling when you’ve been on a pitch and had those boos. There’s no escape from it. You can’t hide away from it.”

Robshaw – who played for Harlequins between 2005 and 2020 before finishing his career in the United States at San Diego Legion – believes the pressure will off the RFU and their coaching ticket for at least one Guinness Six Nations, given it will be lead by a new head coach, most likely Steve Borthwick.

“I think from an RFU point of view they’re thinking, look, we have to go away to Dublin. We have to play France. They are going to be two very tough games, are we going to be in this position again in three months time.

“If we get someone else in, they’ve got a new opportunity, a new team, they’ve got a tournament at least before the World Cup.”

Robshaw was coached by Jones and say he feels for his former boss.

“Like I say, I’m devastated for Eddie, he was a good man to me.

"I wouldn't say I was surprised, I don't know if it was the right call or not.

"Devastated for Eddie, he was a good man to me."

? Former England captain @ChrisRobshaw comments on the dismissal of Eddie Jones. pic.twitter.com/s7TuYslI5U

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 10, 2022

“It gives other players a chance to put a hand up and say, I potentially wasn’t in Eddie’s reckoning, or he didn’t like me for whatever reason… now there’s a new coach coming in, whoever that’s going ot be and we might see a new team and a new way of playing.”