'It's classic Eddie Jones, isn't it?': England coach's comments refuted
Two Super Rugby centurions have rubbished comments from Eddie Jones that suggested the Wallabies had the rub of the green in their win over England on Saturday.
Australia lock Darcy Swain was sent from the field in the Xth minute of the match after headbutting opposite Jonny Hill. Despite the numbers advantage, however, England failed to capitalise until the final moments of the match.
With the scores 6-apiece at halftime, Australia scored three tries to England’s one in the following 37 minutes to build a sizeable 16-point lead. England finally burst to life with time almost up on the clock to score two quick tries but it was too little too late, with the home team ultimately triumphing 30-28.
In England’s post-match press conference, head coach Jones implied that Kiwi referee James Doleman had been more lenient on the Wallabies following Swain’s red card.
“That always happens, mate. If you look at the history of the game, whenever you get a red card, the referee evens it up,” Jones said.
“Social reciprocity. That happens, mate. That’s normal. We’ve got to be good enough to handle it.
“That happens in every game of rugby I’ve seen where a team gets a red card … because they’re nice blokes, referees.
“I’m not criticising the referee at all, I’m not using it as an excuse, that’s just the reality of rugby.”
Speaking on the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, former Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall and former Blues hooker James Parsons both suggested Jones was simply trying to draw attention away from his team’s less-than-satisfactory performance.
“I don’t think [Australia got the rub of the green],” said Hall, who started at No 9 in the Crusaders’ Super Rugby Pacific grand final victory over the Blues but has not signed to play in Japan. “It’s classic Eddie Jones, isn’t it? To be able to have a [controversial] talking point [after a defeat].
“The Australians were down with the red card for the whole [second half]. For England, you should be really getting yourself up to win that game so it takes away all the external noise that’s been said around how they should have won that game and the way they didn’t perform to get that result.”
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Parsons, who played two tests for the All Blacks in 2014 and 2016, agreed that Jones had simply been trying to distract from his side’s loss and potentially influence the officials for the remainder of the series.
“I think this is Eddie trying to get an adjustment for the second test,” Parsons said. “He’s always got a plan, he’s always got a mind game.
“I saw those comments and thought, ‘Oh I don’t really agree with that’, so I went back and watched afterwards and in my interpretation of the laws, everything was fair and very clear.
“I just think he’s playing games for test two and just trying to get people to think – and look, it worked, because it made me think. But no, I thought it was very well reffed, to be honest.”
England and Australia will square off once more this weekend, this time at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Ireland’s Andrew Brace will take the whistle for the match.
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments