Felix Jones: From rooming with Howlett to coaching with Rassie
It was very apt where Felix Jones was seated on Wednesday afternoon, conducting his final media briefing as a Springboks assistant coach.
In another life, a tiny community town hall with a maximum capacity of 60 or so people would have been the type of Irish venue where he would have picked up the bodhran and banged out a few tunes with Hermitage Green, the band fronted by Barry Murphy, his former Munster and Ireland teammate.
It’s some years now since music got the squeeze, his coaching career and a young family taking up his time, yet the Salle Jeanne d’Arc venue for his final media gig working with South Africa before his 2024 Guinness Six Nations switch to Steve Borthwick’s England was quiet the cozy throwback to times past.
Of course, it helped that numerous questions invited him to jog his memory.
Take the New Zealand media contingent in attendance; they quickly want to know how Jones got on way back with ex-All Blacks star Doug Howlett when he pitched to play at Munster – and also what it was like to be coached there by Rob Penney, who is now in charge at the Crusaders.
“Doug was my first roommate when I first joined Munster as a young full-back/winger,” he recalled. “I couldn’t believe my luck who I got roomed with. I learned from one of the best there. Doug was a great mentor, a really good person and somebody I stayed close with even after we retired from playing. I know he is now enjoying life back home.
“Rob was a brilliant coach for my development, he changed the way I thought about the game. He changed the way, even the current players in Munster who still play and play for Ireland played the game. Two great people.”
Next, it was a clatter of Irish media curious to chat about Jones’ development as a coach. That’s an intriguing topic given that he turned down a contract extension at Munster in May 2019 and was soon to receive a call out of the blue asking him to help out at the Springboks where Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber had been working since exiting the Irish province in the 2017/18 season.
How much has he grown as a coach under their influence? “It’s hard as you are in the thick of it. I’ll have to answer that in a couple of years’ time and I can probably give you a better answer of the effect it’s had. I’d rather just say I have got so much gratitude for the experience.
“Initially when I first came in there was a lot of familiarity with how things had been done because it was Rassie, Jacques and Aled Walters at the time. It was quite a quick transition and there were a lot of similarities. I think they were expecting me to do similar things as I was doing in Munster when we were all together.
“Slotting in was very straightforward and from there because it has been over four years now, it has naturally taken on other responsibilities… trying to figure out what is actually going to make the team operate better. I’d say it is more organic the way things have been done and you are always trying to improve things.
“They [Erasmus and co] think about things differently than you would expect. You are constantly in a meeting or coaching box and you’re discussing tactics informally. It is just another point of view that in most cases people won’t have considered.
“Everything has been enjoyable. There are times when Rassie will have an idea that is definitely sprung from himself. We get to discuss that then for all of us to agree.
Springboks get down to Rugby World Cup final training on Wednesday in Paris. #NZLvRSA #RWC2023 #Springboks pic.twitter.com/QEBudLn9yu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 25, 2023
“There is a huge amount of alignment when there is a new idea whether it has been his or one of the other coaches or management or players. Everything gets discussed, everyone makes a plan and we align on that. If we agree then great. If someone disagrees and we have a better plan then we go with that. It’s always enjoyable.
“Jacques is an incredible person. Unbelievable work ethic, I’ve never seen anything like it. This week has been the exact same as any other. Same process.
“I have learned a huge amount about how to build my week as a coach, not for me but for the delivery by the team. On selection, there are still a couple of final discussions. Everyone is putting up their hand and wants to play. Everyone is prepared to perform so it’s difficult.”
Understandably, a smattering of South African reporters also want Jones’ perspective about his southern hemisphere experience. “Hard question. I don’t think I could sum it up. I could just say that I am really grateful.
“I have a lot of gratitude to not only the management but the players as well and the people behind the scenes. The greater rugby community in South Africa, the franchises, the coaches there. It’s been incredible.
“There are certain parts that have definitely changed my view. I think before, and I think it’s shared by people who have had a similar rugby upbringing in terms of where and how, collision winning is a skill. It can be considered as it’s just people hitting things but there is a huge amount that goes into winning a collision.”
His proudest South African rugby takeaway? “Just how we stuck together. On field and off-field every team faces challenges and sometimes you come out the right side of the result.
“But there have been many games where we have lost via the last kick of the game or in the dying minutes, but I have never seen us giving up. Off the field, there are so many challenges in general in South Africa but for the guys, it just makes them tighter.”
English reporters were also on the scene, quizzical about the particular remit Jones would have when he joins England in the new year. It comes amid speculation that current defence coach Kevin Sinfield is on his way out of the Borthwick set-up.
“I’m an assistant coach so between myself, Richard (Wigglesworth) and Steve that will all get sorted out. I’d rather not go into that with a big game at the weekend.”
And about that big game, the final versus the All Blacks at Stade de France: what is Jones feeling just days out from the Springboks’ attempt to complete back-to-back title wins for the first time ever?
“I don’t think emotion is coming into it too much. We are just hugely excited because of the game and there are plenty of players on both sides where it might be their last-ever game for South Africa or New Zealand.
Wonderful ball skill from Springboks prop Trevor Nyakane. #NZLvRSA #RWC2023 #Springboks pic.twitter.com/GMUPtIRXGh
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 25, 2023
“It might be their last ever game, so the coaches are taking a bit of a back seat there and focussing on the players and making sure the team vibe or team atmosphere is correct.
“The introduction of Joe (Schmidt) and Jason Ryan, there have been many good developments in their game,” he added about the strides taken in the last year by the All Blacks.
“Not just one area. If I had to highlight one I would say the ruck, it has been excellent. They do appear to be a very complete team. There has been development in their kicking game.
“The way they put you under pressure, not only with their passing game but their ability to also use the ball off of their foot. I would say those two areas would be key.”
Comments on RugbyPass
What a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
2 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
2 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to comments