Eddie Jones: 'I'm almost redundant now. The team's running the team'
Eddie Jones has challenged his England players to inspire the nation by toppling South Africa in Saturday’s World Cup final.
Jones believes that victory over the Springboks at a sold out 69,000 International Stadium Yokohama has the ability to bring joy to the country and fire the imagination of future Red Rose stars.
And when England run out for their fourth World Cup final, a match they enter as favourites, they will have instructions from their head coach to be fearless in their final assault on the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“The players can inspire a whole country now, they can inspire a sporting community,” former Japan coach Jones said.
“That’s the opportunity they’ve got and all the messages we’ve seen back in England show that there’s a bit of a rugby fever going on.
“Now mums are telling kids ‘play rugby’, be the next Kyle Sinckler, be the next Ellis Genge, and that’s the opportunity they’ve got.
“It changes how the country feels about itself for a period of time – it might change at the next general election – but for a period of time it changes how people feel about themselves and that’s the greatest joy.
“If I look back at Japan and look at the growth of rugby in Japan from what we did in 2015, it’s spectacular.
His best effort since the 'flora' IQ comment. #RWCFinal #englandrugby https://t.co/AeJ2TXAYSV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 31, 2019
“People in Japan love rugby now, they didn’t before. You’ve got this opportunity to change people’s lives through the ability to play rugby and that’s a gift.
“We will play with no fear. Play with no fear. How fantastic is it for the young bunch of guys we have? Every sporting person out there is looking at the game.
“It’s the biggest sporting event on at that time. Saturday night is the biggest sporting event in the world. And our players get to play in that arena.
“What an exciting opportunity for them to be themselves, to play with spirit, to play with pride play with an English style of play?”
New Zealand rugby's most famous critic has called for the @AllBlacks to stop performing the haka before test matches, calling it "bogus" and a "means of rank bullying on and off the field". #RWC2019 #NZLvWAL https://t.co/UYc61SluLQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 1, 2019
England stormed into the final with a breathtaking 19-7 victory over champions New Zealand but against the bulldozing South Africans they face a test of their resolve as much as their wits.
Assistant coach John Mitchell billed the repeat of the 2007 final as a clash between the sport’s two most imposing sides and Jones insists the country should be proud of its rugby identity.
“I wanted to develop a power style as the England have tough, big players,” said Jones, who was appointed as Stuart Lancaster successor in late 2015.
“It suited us to play a power style of rugby and we will be tested on Saturday as we are playing against the other most powerful team in the world.
“The players are proud of the style they play and they know it’s their style. It’s not someone else’s style.
“They have evolved the style of play they have evolved the tactics they play with and they own the game. So they are really proud of how they play.”
Jones insists there is little more to be said to his players between now and kick-off as he reflects poignantly on the end of Japan 2019.
“We’ll have a chat at the hotel before we leave, but all the work’s done,” Jones said.
“I said when I first took over the job – my job’s to become redundant. And I’m almost redundant now. The team’s running the team, which is how it should be.
“We’ve got a group of players that is like the biggest family in the world and the saddest thing is the family breaking up.
“I always find that if you’ve had a good World Cup, you don’t want it to end, you want to keep it going.
“But like everything there is a final chapter and the final chapter is on Saturday.”
Comments on RugbyPass
AI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to comments