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Eddie Jones to be sacked by the RFU - report

By Ian Cameron
Eddie Jones /PA

England head coach Eddie Jones is reportedly set to be sacked by the RFU following an Autumn Nations Series review.

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An inquest into England’s dismal showing this November has taken place over the course of the last seven days, but it appears that Jones’ fate was effectively sealed over the weekend.

Writing in respected Australian newspaper, the Sydney Morning Herald, Georgina Robinson reports that the 62-year-old will be fired by the RFU.

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If true, Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick is the hot favourite to take over the reins, although RugbyPass understands he first needs to be bought out of his contract with the Tigers. The RFU may be forced to wait until they have Borthwick’s signature before announcing Jones’ departure.

Jones’ case to continue in a post he held since the end of 2015 was not helped when his independent media advisor David Pembroke described RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney as “slippery” amid an accusation that he had leaked stories to the media about the departure of backroom staff.

Pembroke added that Sweeney is a “goner” and has since apologised for the remarks made on Wednesday in the comments section of a newspaper website.

Sweeney has been leading the review process and it is understood that he retains the full support of the board, who make the final decision on whether or not to sack Jones.

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Jones’ win ratio is 74 per cent in charge of England, which is still the highest winning percentage of any England head coach in history.

The news comes as Wales head coach Wayne Pivac faced a similar fate in Wales. The former Scarlets head coach has been replaced by Warren Gatland.

The Welsh Rugby Union confirmed Pivac’s departure following their review of Wales’ Autumn Nations Series campaign that included a home defeat against Georgia.

Wales won just 13 of 34 Tests under Pivac’s direction after succeeding his fellow New Zealander Gatland following the 2019 World Cup.

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And Gatland now makes an extraordinary return to the post he held between 2008 and 2019, during which time Wales won four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, reached two World Cup semi-finals and briefly headed the world rankings.

additional reporting PA and AAP

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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