RFU chief Sweeney challenges Jones to build on Aussie tour
Sweeney has challenged Eddie Jones and his England players to build on their success Down Under and exorcise some Six Nations demons.
The RFU chief executive insists beating the Wallabies on their own turf is a “terrific and satisfying” achievement but the team’s World Cup potential will only be measured once the 2023 battle for Northern Hemisphere supremacy is over.
To the dismay of the Twickenham hierarchy, England have lost more games than have won in the last two Championships, whilst the Irish and French have dominated and also developed into real World Cup forces for next year.
Sweeney outlined the fact that the pressure on Eddie Jones, which was “intense” heading to Australia this summer, has been relieved somewhat thanks to the 2-1 series win. And he admitted the short-term focus is now to try and continue the head coach’s impressive record against Southern HemiBILL sphere sides when New Zealand and South Africa visit Twickenham this autumn.
But he clearly is anxious to see the team flourish come springtime and, conceding that talk must now be about “results” and not “transition”, Sweeney claims: “People immediately started talking about the World Cup but for us a strong Six Nations performance is important and is part of that process.
“Eddie views it as the best competition in the world and says it is sometimes harder to win a
Grand Slam than World Cup. I’m not sure about that but we do measure ourselves on the Six Nations. It’s going to be a cracking tournament next year with our last two games being France at home and Ireland away. So if we continue to improve it could be a really interesting crescendo!
“To be competitive in the World Cup you must be able to beat France and also Ireland... not just the Southern Hemisphere teams. We look at that journey now and it will clearly have a Southern Hemisphere flavour to start with in the autumn followed by a Northern one in the spring. That’s when we will be able to judge where our development is.
“The Australia tour was always going to be a crossroads and the reviews of where we are remain ongoing. It is about coming out of that transition stage and putting together consistent performances.”
He adds: “Eddie was desperate to win a series in Australia. Everyone is passionate about having a successful England team and if we are not doing well that is pointed out in direct terms. Every Union works on their disaster scenarios and whatever, and winning matters. You can only say transition so long. You need to also deliver results.”
Sweeney continues to keep his card close to his chest in terms of names of potential successors to replace Jones but Andy Farrell, whose star rose to a new high with Ireland’s first Test series win on New Zealand soil, is firmly in the frame.
Farrell lost his job after England’s miserable 2015 World Cup but Sweeney insisted: “Andy is doing well. A couple of years ago there was pressure around him and there were calls to get rid of Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt. But they have come through very well and he is regarded very highly. ”