Eddie Jones, the former England rugby coach, has publicly attributed the team’s recent Six Nations collapse to what he perceives as premature strategic declarations made by current head coach Steve Borthwick. The criticism comes after successive defeats to Scotland and Ireland, derailing a previous 12-Test winning streak and turning the upcoming match against Italy into a crucial fixture.
Jones specifically targeted Borthwick’s comments in January, where the head coach stated his ambition for England to be in a position to compete for the title against France on March 14th. “On March 14 in Paris, we want to be in a position entering that game where One can achieve what we’re all aiming to achieve,” Borthwick said on January 23rd, according to reports. “We want England fans flooding across the Channel to Paris to watch the team in a massive encounter in the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want.”
Speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, Jones questioned the wisdom of focusing on a potential title decider before the completion of earlier matches in the tournament. “I’ll go back to the start of the Six Nations. I thought Steve made some very uncharacteristic comments about a title-decider against France, looking ahead,” Jones said. “Steve is the most pragmatic and intelligent coach you could meet, but to look ahead for any team is fraught with danger. We all know that.”
Jones too suggested that external pressures from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) may have influenced Borthwick’s pre-tournament statements. “But sometimes the pressure comes so that the union, the RFU, wants to hear more. They want to entice the fans because they’re all hungry for money so they want fans support. So be bold, come out – someone has told him to do that,” he stated.
Beyond the strategic concerns, Jones also raised questions about England’s “emotional control” following the defeats, suggesting issues with team cohesion and individual buy-in. “That comes down to the preparation for the game, the leadership on the field or one or two players not particularly buying into the team,” he added. “It could be any one of those factors.”
Jones further singled out the deployment of Henry Pollock, the Northampton back row, in the starting XV for the recent match against Ireland. Whereas acknowledging Pollock’s impactful contributions as a substitute – including beating five defenders, winning a breakdown turnover, and making a significant number of tackles – Jones questioned his suitability for a full 80-minute role. “Pollock to me is like, if you go back, [former South Africa back row] Bobby Skinstad – good-looking, always got a suntan and he can play,” Jones said. “He’s one of those blokes who is 20 minutes, who finds himself in the right position, but he’s not a ‘grind’ player. And to play a full 80 in the back row you have got to be prepared to grind. Maybe that’s not the best job for him.”
The RFU has not yet responded to Jones’s comments regarding potential influence on Borthwick’s pre-tournament messaging. England’s next match against Italy on March 7th will be a key test of their ability to recover from the recent setbacks.
