Eddie Jones believes the Rugby Football Union must take responsibility for the national side’s poor form, with the former England coach saying the governing body has failed to develop “quality players”.
Jones, now in charge of Australia, was sacked by England last December after a poor sequence of results and replaced by Steve Borthwick, who has struggled to revive the team’s fortunes leading into the Rugby World Cup.
The former Leicester coach has overseen three wins in nine, including a humiliating first defeat by Fiji at Twickenham last Saturday. England have failed to convince in any facet of the game as they prepare for a demanding Pool D, with matches against Argentina, Japan, Chile and Samoa imminent. But Jones insists their problems run deeper than the head coach.
“You’ve got an ageing team … They’re not producing quality players,” Jones told the BBC. “Everyone looks at the head coach, and wants to blame the head coach. But the onus on producing quality players is the RFU, and that hasn’t happened.
“When you’re not bringing talent through, you’ve got to look at why your talent development system’s not doing that … The system’s not right. Whenever you’ve got talent not coming through, and it was coming through … What needs to change? Where’s the gap? That’s the responsibility of the RFU, and it’s not for me to give them answers.”
Jones was reappointed to lead his native Australia in January and the 63-year-old said it would be “good fun” to meet England in a potential quarter-final should both sides progress. He also believes Australia’s prospects at the tournament are bright despite their continuing wait for a win since he returned to the role.
Australia are in Pool C with Wales, Fiji, Portugal and Georgia, against whom they begin their campaign in Paris a week on Saturday. “No one thinks we can win,” Jones said. “It’s a great situation to be in. Most teams [at the tournament] are at the end of their cycle ... those teams can’t grow as quickly as we can ... I’ve got a fair bit of optimism.”
Asked about England’s chances, Jones replied: “I’m only worried about them if we play in them in the quarter-final. They’re a team I coached for seven years, so I look back at them with affection. I like the players. I’d like to see them do well [but] obviously not do well against us.”
