EDDIE SAYS YES
Jones is all set to take over from Lancaster
EDDIE JONES is set to be officially unveiled as England’s first foreign head coach today, after flying into London and finalising terms with the Rugby Football Union last night.
The Australian, who guided Japan to a shock World Cup win over South Africa, has agreed to take charge of the England team as successor to Stuart Lancaster, who left the post last week.
His appointment represents a rapid and decisive recruitment campaign by Ian Ritchie, the union’s chief executive, who outlined just eight days ago that the target was a respected candidate with ‘proven international experience’.
Jones has the credentials, having previously steered the Wallabies to a World Cup Final in 2003 and, four years later, was a key part of the management team when South Africa won the tournament.
While the confirmation of Jones’ appointment will be welcomed as a coup at Twickenham, it is being viewed in an altogether different light in Cape Town, where he had only just taken charge of the Stormers ahead of next year’s Super Rugby season. His contract was for three years, but he spent only a week in the post, before being lured away.
It is understood that the RFU have reached a financial settlement with the franchise, with a payment of around £100,000.
Jones first signalled his interest in the England job early last month and once he has been formally installed, his priority will be to assemble assistant coaches and back-room staff.
Despite the abrupt departure of Lancaster last week, Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt remain contracted to the RFU, as part of the England set-up. However, Jones is thought to favour hiring his own back-up team, and Bristol are bracing themselves for him to come in for their new forwards coach, Steve Borthwick — who worked wonders with Japan in recent times.
At this stage, he may be open-minded in other areas, but one obvious candidate as a defence coach, if Farrell is not retained, would be his former Wigan rugby league team-mate, Shaun Edwards. He is out of contract with the Welsh Rugby Union and is thought to be interested in the idea of landing a role with his own country.
Another defence guru who could be considered is Paul Gustard — the mastermind of Saracens’ fabled ‘Wolf-pack’.
Jones will also have to urgently consider the captaincy, which is likely to be a thorny issue, given his doubts about Lancaster’s chosen skipper, Chris Robshaw. During the World Cup, Jones told Sportsmail: ‘Chris Robshaw wears No7, but he is a six-and-a-half at best.
‘He’s not hard over the ball and he’s not quick. He’s definitely not an out-and-out openside. Robshaw is an outstanding club player but, at international level, he just doesn’t have that point of difference. He carries OK, he tackles OK, but he is not outstandingly good in any area.’
If he chooses to look elsewhere, Jones may consider Tom Wood, who deputised as captain during Lancaster’s tenure. He may also view Dylan Hartley as a viable candidate, after noting how England missed him during the World Cup.
Ritchie may yet choose to appoint a performance director, but Jake White will not be taking on that role, despite speculation in the last 24 hours. The South African, who declared his interest in the head coach vacancy, said: ‘I have a contract with Montpellier. I’m not going to change, I’m staying here.’
England’s only World Cupwinning coach Sir Clive Woodward has also ruled himself out of the job.