HOW EDDIE’S ARMY AIM TO RULE WORLD
Staggering number of backroom staff as England break bank for World Cup glory
EDDIE JONES has been given licence to leave no stone unturned driving England’s crusade to win the World Cup next year — whatever it takes and whatever the cost.
Sportsmail understands the financial and personnel commitment to England’s cause could be enhanced in the next 18 months, if Jones deems it necessary.
The fresh offer of unprecedented backing came at the last meeting of the RFU council.
Jones met officials from the Professional Game Board — which represents the union and leading clubs — to present a review of England’s autumn campaign and discuss planning. Jones was asked: ‘What further support can be provided in the run-up to 2019?’
England are already the best-resourced national team in the world, funded by the richest of all the unions. As the panel (right) illustrates, they have an incredible number of backroom staff as well as the most players, most clubs and most money.
Jones is on a four-year contract worth £750,000 a year and the cost of his 26 staff runs into millions. But now the England coach has effectively been authorised to spend and recruit even more to prepare for the 2019 showpiece. In this numbers game, English might cannot be challenged. But all the firepower at his disposal wasn’t sufficient last weekend as Scotland pulled off a stunning Calcutta Cup triumph, despite relatively thin playing resources, modest funding and a far smaller management and staff.
It is only fair to reiterate that this has been a prolonged period of English prosperity. The Jones regime has delivered a remarkable return of 24 victories in 26 Tests. The vast majority of these have been difficult fixtures yielding astonishing levels of consistent success.
Naturally, defeat causes a harsh light to be shone on the whole set-up and the investment that goes into it. When results are good, big spending looks like meticulous attention to detail. When there is a blip, there will be greater scrutiny on whether the money is being well spent.
England have expertise in so many diverse fields. They have all the science and technology at their disposal. They have a five-star training base with a state-of-the-art indoor centre.
They have drones and CCTV cameras recording a player’s every move — as well as all the GPS equipment and cryotherapy chambers and other training aids that have become staple accessories for the leading nations.
When things go wrong, especially against a country without such limitless resources, it can all seem bloated and excessive. That view isn’t altered by the knowledge that the peerless All Blacks have far less financial muscle. They don’t have a swanky training HQ. They don’t even have a national stadium but their elite rugby culture has allowed them to dominate the sport for a decade.
The response of the RFU is to commit finance to bringing down the Kiwis. Hiring Jones was a sign of that. Now, the East Stand at Twickenham is being converted into a giant palace of corporate hospitality and ticket prices are rising. The result is a no-excuses scenario — which Jones won’t mind in the least.