The 'obvious choice' to oversee Eddie Jones as England DoR

Former England utility back Austin Healey is demanding change at the top within the England setup as yet another Guinness Six Nations campaign looks to have passed Eddie Jones’ side by.

If England lose to France tomorrow, as many people predict they will, they could once again finish in fifth on the table. Within English rugby, such a placing would be viewed as an unacceptable scenario, not least given the union’s financial clout.

Healey- aka The Leicester Lip – has had enough after two lacklustre years under Jones and believes some form of significant change must come.

Jamie Noon previews the final round of the Six Nations | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 25

Jamie Noon previews the final round of the Six Nations | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 25

“The last two years have not been anywhere near good enough. If England lose on Saturday, something has to change,” wrote Healey in his Telegraph column.

“One of the major problems is that Jones is always coming up with good excuses. There has always been a complaint, a theme, a change of staff.

“I cannot see Eddie working for anyone else. So, if you said you wanted to put someone above him in a director of rugby role, he would pull the plug himself. Even though in that scenario you could have someone there to control selection, the media and enable Eddie just to coach – and he is undoubtedly a good coach, as we have seen many times.”

Both British & Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland and current Springboks Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus have been linked with the role in recent months, but Healey has tipped former England head coach Stuart Lancaster as “the obvious person” for such a role, despite his disastrous 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign.

“Then you might be in a better position. The names that come to mind are Stuart Lancaster, Mark McCall or Rob Baxter – although I could never see Baxter leaving Exeter. Does Warren Gatland want the job? Could you tempt him back from the Chiefs in New Zealand to come and take over before the All Blacks consider appointing him in 2023?

“Nobody else in World Rugby has the financial might of England. That can be a factor.”

“What is clear is that there needs to be some change. Whether that’s personnel, or Jones changing himself.

“He has to be more amenable. He has been very defensive with the media, almost to the extent where nobody else’s opinion matters but his. ‘I don’t read the papers – oh by the way, don’t say that about me.’ Either you read them, or you don’t.

“Put some fun back into the job. Every press conference there is a dig at something, or a wry smile. It’s time for the excuses to end and for someone else to start a new journey – win, lose, or draw against France.

“That French side are just too good and England are just not good enough. Which leaves Eddie’s job in a perilous position. Either he changes – again! – or his job is changed.”