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'Eddie Jones and England are deluded': Rugby Pod's damning verdict
The Rugby Pod have become the latest critics to heavily unload on Eddie Jones and the RFU following another Guinness Six Nations campaign by England that left much to be desired. Jones’ side recorded just two wins in its five matches this year – the same number of victories as last year – but the coach was still given a vote of confidence on Sunday when his employer claimed it was “encouraged by the solid progress the team has made during this Six Nations”.
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The unsigned statement baffled numerous rugby pundits, with even ex-Wales and Lions skipper Sam Warburton accusing the RFU of telling “a lie” as the campaign that finished in Paris on Saturday night with defeat to France was “blatantly not progress”.
Now, The Rugby Pod has added its voice to the chorus of disproval, ex-England No10 Andy Goode leading the charge on the weekly show he co-hosts with Jim Hamilton, the former Scotland forward. Goode had become increasingly uncertain about Jones’ England as the 2022 Six Nations unfolded and he has now called out the RFU for its “steady progress” claim which he quickly tore asunder on the show.
“The question is, who has made that statement? No one has put their name to it, it is just collectively the RFU,” began Goode, who played for England on 17 occasions between 2005 and 2009. “And to say ‘we are encouraged by the solid progress the team has made during the Six Nations’, where is the progress?
“We scored less tries than we probably ever scored in the Six Nations and let’s not forget, I played ten a few times in a few Six Nations games and I was the most average attacking ten out there possible and that is patting myself on the back too much.”
🇮🇹 Forza Italia 🇮🇹
After Italy’s incredible victory over Wales on Saturday, we’re joined by the man who masterminded the win, Kieran Crowley #forzaitalia
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— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) March 22, 2022
Goode wasn’t fully accurate claiming that the eight tries scored by England this term was a record low in the 23 editions of the Six Nations – the record English low was five in 2013, with other tallies worse than 2022 recorded in 2010 (six tries) and 2012 (seven tries). There was also just eight tries in 2008. But you get Goode’s drift all the same, as this year’s total of eight was four tries down from last season’s dozen tries in another campaign where England won just two of its five matches.
“There is no difference in results from this year to last year except for last year we beat France at home and this year we beat Wales at time. We beat Italy both times, we lost to Scotland both times, we lost to Ireland both times. So we have had two wins in five games in the last two Six nations, right. So progress-wise, results? No.
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“The only real difference that I can see is he has given players opportunities. So he had brought in Harry Randall, he has brought in Marcus Smith, he has brought in Freddie Steward. Sam Simmonds is back in the mix, Alex Dombrandt. The only progress I can see is the average age of the squad has been reduced which can be seen as a positive because they can play for longer for England.
“I can’t see it [the progress]. That statement and some of the headlines that have come out, people are calling them ‘liars’. I think Sam Warburton said they are lying to us… I have got to agree with him. It’s just deluded for me (the RFU) coming out with a statement as quickly as that.
“What the RFU should have done in my opinion is say ‘the Six Nations results no doubt aren’t good enough but we are backing Eddie Jones to take us through to the 2023 World Cup’. Don’t try and pull the wool over everyone’s eyes by saying there is progress because I can’t see any.
“To say what they have said and to show a bit of disrespect to the competition to say ‘it is all about the World Cup and we’re developing’, you have got to live in the here and now a bit as well, lads. Eddie Jones and England are deluded if they think that is the case.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments