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England boss Jones: Barbarians fiasco has made rugby 'a bit of a laughing stock'
Eddie Jones has headed into this weekend’s Six Nations finale fearing rugby has become a laughing stock due to last weekend’s farcical cancellation of the England vs Barbarians match.
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That call-off resulted in 13 Baas-Baas players – including ex-England skipper Chris Robshaw – getting charged on Thursday by the RFU with misconduct for breaking coronavirus protocols.
An investigation found that there were two unsanctioned breaches of the protective hotel bubble that had been placed around the invitational club side to ensure there was no Covid-19 threat to the game taking place, and it has now forced the cash-strapped RFU to take action after the cancellation cost them a reputed £1million in much-needed revenue.
“The players will face a range of charges including: Individual breaches of the protocols (e.g. leaving the hotel without permission or without informing organisers of their whereabouts); Providing false statements during an investigation,” read an RFU statement.
The fiasco deprived England of the planned warm-up match ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations game in Rome and it left a sour taste with coach Jones, who hit out at the antics of the Barbarians.
Robshaw and co called on to explain last week's high jinxhttps://t.co/KBlujsA96R
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 29, 2020
“We understand that rugby at the moment is a bit of a laughing stock and we all love the game,” said Jones after he announced an XV to face the Italians that has seven changes from England’s March win over Wales and includes a debut for lock Jonny Hill.
“We’re lucky enough to play the game at the highest level and we want to make sure we put the game back to where it needs to be. We have got a great game in rugby and we don’t like to see it portrayed as something that is not a serious sport, as it has been.
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“We understand those responsibilities. It’s a weight we carry and it’s a weight that we enjoy to carry… no one likes to see a game called off because of a breakdown in the protocols in society at the moment. That’s what happened. It’s not good for rugby, but we have got an opportunity on Saturday to turn that around.
“It’s been a difficult time for society. People have lost their jobs and people have lost family members, so we feel absolutely privileged to have the opportunity to play top-level rugby. Our responsibility is to put a smile on people’s faces. We would like to make people happy for a period of time that maybe takes away some of the pain of society at the moment.
“The players have approached this camp with a zest for the game that I have probably never seen before. There is a real desire to do that,” he continued, going on to reference Australian cricket as an example as to how a negative story can be turned into a positive one.
“History shows that sport changes quickly. If you look at the situation with the Australian cricket team and the sandpaper, that time was not a great time for cricket and it was not a great time for Australian cricket.
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“But now people have forgotten that – and it’s our responsibility to make sure we put on performances so that people don’t remember what happened a couple of weeks ago.”
The England ‘Finishers’ consist of three uncapped players, just two players with more than ten caps each, two more with only three caps each and then there is two-cap Dan Robson ?? https://t.co/YDILWzfger
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick 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.
15 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?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI 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.
26 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 🤐
15 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….
26 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….
15 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!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 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
14 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.
15 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.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 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 comments