For Eddie Jones, the metaphors often change but the message largely stays the same. Previously it has been how hand grenades go off when the pressure cranks up, more recently an elaborate comparison with the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, and on Friday it was the uncertainty around mortgage rates in an ailing economy.
Each time the point is whether Jones’s players can react to events in real time and adapt on the hoof. The message rarely changes because the problem perennially raises its head. Moreover, Jones sees the current international landscape as more volatile than ever. The risk of yellow and red cards and the potential to lose players to injuries has never been as great. With World Rugby also making it harder for coaches to get messages on to the pitch, on-field leadership and adaptability have become two of the most important qualities for anyone with designs on winning next year’s World Cup.
