Southgate has ‘learned a lot’

– England football manager Gareth Southgate (above) said it had been “fascinating” to spend time with Eddie Jones as a rival rugby coach compared the Australian to legendary football manager Brian Clough.

The England rugby team are on a national record 15-match winning streak heading into their Six Nations clash against Wales tomorrow, with 14 of those wins coming since Jones took over following their first-round exit on home soil at the 2015 World Cup.

Jones’ men are the reigning Six Nations champions, having won last year’s title with a Grand Slam.

“I think you’re always looking for new ideas,” Southgate told englandrugby.com this week.

“This is obviously a winning culture at the moment, so to immerse yourself in that, and see why it is happening, is really important.”

Having met with Jones, former England defender Southgate said: “You go away with loads of ideas and things you want to implement. It is great to be alongside people who experience the same sort of scenarios you’re in.

“There is a lot more set-play work, so the detail of individual coaching is very interesting for us because it is something we’re looking at in football.”

Southgate added: “Eddie is a vastly experienced coach. He has coached at international level for a long time, so to get an idea of his thoughts and observations around what we do – for a young coach like me – is fascinating.”

Meanwhile, Shaun Edwards, the defence coach of the Welsh team that will face Jones’ men in Cardiff, said the England boss was “great for rugby”.

Edwards, himself an Englishman, said: “He is a clever bloke is Eddie. It’s great for the game. You want characters in the game.”

Edwards compared Jones to the late Brian Clough, a famously forthright figure who guided English club Nottingham Forest from second-tier obscurity to become champions of England and European Cup winners all in a matter of a few seasons in the late 1970s.

“You’ve seen it in the past with football managers like Brian Clough, people like that,” said Edwards. “They were a bit outspoken, weren’t they?” –

London

He is a clever bloke is Eddie. It’s great for the game. You want characters.

Shaun Edwards Welsh defence coach