Is he Eddie the evil genius... or Jones the busted flush?
AFTER landing a sloppy kiss on the face of his dog, Annie, Eddie Jones hopped in a luxury Mercedes from Pennyhill Park to Twickenham. He may as well have walked in on a tightrope. Beat Ireland today and harmony will be restored for another week. Lose and the ‘Jones Out’ narratives will gather pace. Such is the boom or bust atmosphere that surrounds the volatile coach.
Jones has done nothing to turn down the volume this week.
In a typical build-up week to an international match, Jones speaks publicly only once, on the day of the team announcement. This time around, ahead of this crucial Six Nations clash, Jones has spoken five times. He has hardly given off an air of serenity.
Most of his week was spent batting off reasonable questions with short, dismissive answers.
Then he lost his run up when, unexpectedly, he was asked about the death of Caroline Flack — and moments later he dished out an accusation of racism that made the headlines.
In his final briefing of the week, he talked up the heat around camp. ‘You guys have been on edge, the players have been on edge… you can see by your body language,’ he observed.
Perhaps that is exactly how Jones wants it.
He talked about his players being ‘uncomfortably excited’ to return to play at Twickenham, so maybe he has been going out of his way to create that so-called edge.
‘If you use the roller-coaster analogy, you’re sitting at the top of a hill, you’re excited but you’re also anxious, a bit uncomfortable, you’re not quite sure,’ Jones said.
The irony is that, on paper, England are the most settled team in the competition. They are the only team not to have appointed a new coach or captain after the World Cup in Japan. Today’s opponents, Ireland, have both in Andy Farrell and Johnny Sexton.
But the reality feels anything but settled. Perhaps it is all part of Eddie’s masterplan. Jones the Evil Genius? Or Jones the Busted Flush?
Today’s result will answer that question to a large extent, but many England supporters have already made up their mind.
When the team for today’s game was announced on England’s social media channels, the replies were largely berating Jones’ selections. Three players — Courtney Lawes, Jonathan Joseph and Tom Curry — were selected out of position… or five including Manu Tuilagi and Owen Farrell.
‘Is this selection a cry for help?’ said @ToiletDuck.
‘Totally lost the plot,’ said @MattTheCat. ‘Stop smoking crack Eddie,’ said @Bazinho. ‘Bring back Danny Care,’ said @MuckaFunky, who also claimed to be from Narnia.
Many critics have already forgotten Jones’ achievements in Japan last year — yet another defeat at Twickenham today will leave the Australian facing some difficult questions.
Why is he picking a 33-year-old scrum-half? Why is he handing a first start on the wing to a 50-cap centre? Why is he so reluctant to blood a new No 8 in the absence of Billy Vunipola? The immunity from the World Cup final will only last so long.
During Jones’ first four years in charge, there was a clear vision towards the 2019 World Cup. He almost executed it to perfection but fell just short in the final defeat by South Africa in Yokohama.
Now his contract expires next year, so there is a lack of clarity about where the team are heading. The jury is out on whether his methods will prove anymore successful in 2023, but he remains defiant that he is building a solid core in his team.
‘I think it is something evolving nicely with this team,’ he said.
‘I think it’s a slow-burn leadership. I look at the All Blacks and it took them eight years to find their leadership balance. We are in our fifth year now. It takes time.’
The problem is that neither Jones, nor his players, know if he will be here for eight years.
Rassie Erasmus has been linked with the position and it is the RFU’s responsibility to provide clarity for coach and players alike.
If England lose today, Jones’ Six Nations campaign will be deemed a failure and any contract talks will be put on hold. Taxi for Eddie?
Yet on the other side of the circus tightrope, a victory will put England back on course to challenge for the title — and Jones will be laughing all the way back to Pennyhill Park.