Jamie George expects England supporters to show Eddie Jones the respect he deserves when he makes his first return to Twickenham as an international coach on Sunday.
Jones, who is now with Japan, won three Six Nations titles as England head coach, including the 2016 grand slam, and guided them to the 2019 World Cup final during his seven-year tenure. He won 59 of his 81 Tests, making him the England coach with the highest winning percentage.
Jones’s coaching methods have come under heavy scrutiny of late, however, after accusations from Danny Care in his autobiography that the Australian oversaw a toxic environment, ran a “dictatorship” and acted like a “despot who disappeared people” by bullying staff members and players.
George, the England captain, said: “He did a huge amount [for England] and he’s somebody I respect massively as a coach. I think he did brilliant things, some of the things he achieved with the England team was fantastic.
“I know a lot of people have been outspoken about the way he did things and they are very much entitled to their opinion but I think the English fans will certainly give him the respect he deserves.”
Jones has coached at Twickenham since he was sacked in December 2022, taking charge of the Barbarians against a World XV in the summer of 2023, and he was afforded a mixed reception by the crowd.
Jones withdrew from media duties on Friday because of illness but Japan have expressed confidence he will be well enough to take his place in the coaching box. His return to Twickenham comes at a time when England have lost their past five matches.
George added: “The English fans will see or would have seen the amount of effort that he put into the English game. And as I said, I think we achieved a lot under him as a coach. So yeah, I anticipate [a warm reception] to be the case.
“He’ll be hugely excited about it. He’ll also be desperate for a win. He’s a master at getting teams up for big games. I know that for him in particular, but for most teams around the world, playing England at [Twickenham] is a big game.”
