Campese slams England for hiring a ‘school teacher’

FORMER Australia wing David Campese has blasted England as “desperate” after they hired his compatriot Eddie Jones as the new head coach of the national team.

Campese, pictured, a World Cup winner and legend of Australian rugby, also slammed Jones’ style of rugby, and likened his coaching to that of a school teacher.

Jones led Japan to a shock win over South Africa during the Rugby World Cup this winter, but Campese is less than impressed with the coach.

“Rugby is a professional sport,” Campese told BBC 5 Live. ’We don’t need school teachers. And I think Eddie is one as well.

“His teams will play in a very structured way and they will do what he tells them to do. So it’s a robotic style.”

Campese also attacked England’s refusal to appoint another homegrown coach after the sacking of Stuart Lancaster, instead choosing to look abroad.

“The whole idea about rugby is that you get people who play for your country, who come through the system and you want them to come through to the national job and pass on their experience. It just looks like that you guys have no idea what you are doing.

“Where is your structure? Where are your young coaches who want to be the best in the world? It looks you are desperate, and you just go out and pay the money for somebody who you think will help you.”

Hours after his appointment as England’s first foreign coach, Australian Jones held court at Twickenham where his view on the Rugby Football Union’s much-criticised ban on overseas players was one of the first questions he

faced.

“I want players who want to play for England and to do that you have to play in the Premiership. That’s the rule and it’s going to stay that way so I’m happy with what I’ve got,” Jones told a news conference, suppressing something of a wry smile.

When he was reminded of his column during the Rugby World Cup praising Toulon’s Steffon Armitage, a former European Player of the Year, and saying fellow openside flank and England captain Chris Robshaw was “not outstanding in any area” Jones was happy to justify his U-turn.

“I wasn’t head coach of England then, I was writing a column. I was probably being a bit naughty,” he said.

“You always have a bit of a view when you’re outside the tent. I’ve had long chats with (RFU CEO) Ian (Ritchie) and I understand the situation.

“I had two stints at Saracens. When you get to the other side of the fence you have a view – and then you think that view is right.” – Daily Mail, Reuters