Eddie Jones: England team bonded with beers over course of 'lovely' night
Eddie Jones reflected on the bonds forged during the aftermath of Saturday’s Six Nations triumph as he trumpeted a period of English dominance.
Owen Farrell presented his team-mates with their winners’ medals during a low-key trophy ceremony held at the squad’s Teddington base upon their triumphant return from Rome on Sunday morning.
Staff, coaches and Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney watched as the players celebrated on stage, the occasion robbed of much of its lustre because of the need to hold it within the team bubble.
The festivities began the previous evening when a 34-5 dismissal of Italy, combined with France’s narrow win against Ireland, catapulted England to their first title since 2017 and third under Jones.
Taking place one year after the World Cup final was lost to South Africa, it was a night that Jones believes will have beneficial consequences.
“I’m really pleased and proud of the players. We had a lovely night last (Saturday) night. It’s one of those nights you remember,” the head coach said.
“We were probably a little bit disappointed we didn’t score a few more points but then you sit down together…
“We had a nice setting in the team hotel in Rome and were able to watch the game and cheer both teams. How often do you get a chance to do that?
“It was a good fun night, all the boys enjoyed themselves and behaved themselves. They had a few beers and a few wines. A few of them had a late night. Us older brigade tended to sneak away a bit earlier.
“It was one of those nights you do remember. From that you develop stronger bonds and relationships that can help you in the future. That’s the thing that I enjoy the most, seeing that develop.
“That then transposes itself to certain situations on the field where you look like the best orchestra in the world – everything’s moving together and moving in synergy and it looks like everyone knows exactly what the other person is doing.”
Coming in the wake of Exeter and Bristol winning both European competitions, success in the Six Nations completes an English clean sweep.
“We’ve seen English clubs win the Challenge Cup and the Champions,” Jones said.
“And now we’ve won the Six Nations, so it’s a pretty healthy stage for England now. It’s only going to get healthier working with greater application and working smarter.”
But for a dismal opening to the Six Nations nine months ago when resurgent France orchestrated a successful ambush in Paris, England could have been celebrating the Grand Slam.
“I deliberately started our Six Nations campaign slowly because I wanted to give the players some air to breathe,” Jones said.
“They’d all been back playing consistently for their clubs and we got sharpened up by France.
“Then we had the perfect situation for a team that had just lost the World Cup final – lose the first game, everyone wants the coach to be sacked, players should be sacked, the captain is no good.
“Then you find out who wants to go forward and who doesn’t. We’ve evolved through this tournament, some of it through injury, where we’re building a new team that is going to take us to greatest heights in the next four years.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
80 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
80 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
80 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
80 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
80 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
80 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
2 Go to comments