Eddie Jones has been in his element this week. Grinning from ear to ear back at his old stomping ground in Coogee, savouring the sense of familiarity and basking in the nostalgia of it all. His players, meanwhile, have been treated to afternoons off, free to explore – all part of Jones’s decision to empower this “new England” squad, to put his trust in them and to liberate them. Put it all together and it raised the question: has Jones, the notorious taskmaster, softened?
The emphatic answer came three minutes before half-time at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Jones made one of his statement substitutions. Danny Care had endured a torrid first half, typifying the sloppiness that England displayed throughout. Jones had evidently had enough and hooked the veteran scrum-half, introducing Jack van Poortvliet – who could consider himself unfortunate to be dropped in the first place – for a third cap. More discreet coaches might have waited until half-time but Jones has a history of making such changes. More often than not it has the desired effect and on this occasion it was no different, with Van Poortvliet providing the assist for Freddie Steward’s try on the stroke of half-time to give England a lead they scarcely deserved.
