Huge payout stands between RFU and Eddie Jones' replacement
A massive payout is one of the main obstacles standing between the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and their preferred replacement for Eddie Jones.
The RFU are keen to get rid of Jones after a disastrous Autumn Nations Series in which England were booed off the turf at Twickenham after a lacklustre display against the Springboks in their final game.
The men in white won just a single game – against Japan. An impressive fightback in their third game against the All Blacks – which garnered them a draw – was soon wiped from the memory with a dismal display against the World Champions.
The 62-year-old Jones faces a secret RFU panel tomorrow, with a decision expected to be made on his future on Tuesday. One of the main issues standing in the way of a potential sacking is the need to get a head coach lined up ahead of the Guinness Six Nations, which is just two months away.
The RFU’s preferred target – as widely reported – is current Leicester Tigers boss Steve Borthwick but RugbyPass understands that Leicester want a huge compensation payment to buy him out of his current contract.
Tigers are understandably eager to keep the 43-year-old Cumbrian after he led them from the bottom of the league to a Gallagher Premiership title last season. Borthwick confirmed that he and the RFU had been in regular contact over England players but refused to be drawn on Saturday when quizzed about a formal approach.
There is also the question of the remaining year on the Jones’ contract, which the RFU would likely be expected to honour it even if he is removed from his position this week.
Money aside, Borthwick would seem like an obvious choice for the top job.
Every high-level England player involved with Tigers has credited the former Saracens lock’s no-nonsense approach for turning the Tigers’ ship around.
“I have obviously been coached by him at England and at Leicester, and he is one of, if not the best, coaches around,” said former Leicester fly-half George Ford. “The way Steve gives us a plan, and then the way we go about it and practise it in the week. When you go out on game-day, you feel so ready to go and play and win.”
Ellis Genge, prior to leaving for Bristol Bears described Borthwick as ‘relentless’.
“He is very straight up and down,” said the England prop earlier this year. “There is no beating around the bush. He is just an honest bloke. He has got his morals and stuff, which we all really respect.”
He is also familiar with Jones’ England set-up, having served under Jones as his forward coach before heading to Welford Road in 2020.
Players’ views on Jones could be telling over the next 48 hours. According to The Telegraph, the RFU have asked players for anonymous feedback on the notoriously firey Australian.
If Jones has indeed lost the changing room, his sacking will be a formality.
Borthwick and Jones coached for seven years together with Japan and then with England.
The Carlisle native played in 57 Tests for England at lock from 2001-2010 and captained the side 21 times. Jones was quick to appoint Borthwick as Japan’s forwards coach in 2012 immediately after ending his playing career and it paid off, with Japan going on to record a famous victory over South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
He captained Bath, led Saracens and became a Premiership winner in 2001, as well as representing England Schools, Colts U21 and Saxons. He made 265 Premiership appearances, a record at the time.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick 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.
30 Go to comments