Eddie has X Factor, says ex-Lions star
LIKE him or loathe him, Eddie Jones has brought box-office quality to the Six Nations.
That is the view of former winger Mark Cueto, who has watched with delight as Jones has transformed England’s fortunes.
There has been a Grand Slam, a series whitewash in Australia and an unbeaten autumn in just 12 months under Jones and they head into his year’s tournament as favourites on the back of 14 straight wins.
And Cueto thinks that the Australian possesses the X Factor that only the very best coaches have.
“Eddie Jones has done unbelievably well since he came in,” says the ex-Lions man. “He’s totally changed the team around.
“It’s not like it is a completely different squad.
“Regardless of his background or reputation, you would have offered odds of one million to one for him not to lose a fixture EXETER kept their hopes of progressing to the Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-finals firmly alive with an eight-try thrashing of Wasps at Sandy Park.
Italy international Michele Campagnaro scored a hat-trick for Exeter and there was a try apiece for Sam Simmonds, Mitch Lees, Shaun Malton, Lachie Turner and Stuart by this stage. Like Sir Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho, he does a great job of deflecting pressure away from his players.
“They are always supporting their players in public and taking attention away. It’s a major contributing factor in England’s success so far.
“You look at the press launch for the Six Nations last Wednesday. It was almost fate that Eddie turned up with a black eye.
“If that had not happened, Dylan Hartley would have been in the spotlight. The questions would have been about him coming back from suspension and heading into the competition with no rugby for two months.
“Instead there was hardly anything about that. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to Eddie.
“He told someone it was from a training-ground collision and then, an hour later, he was telling
Townsend. Joe Simmonds converted six of the tries.
Wasps’ sole response was a try from Will Rowlands and the defeat — coupled with Harlequins’ victory at Worcester — put them out of the competition.
In a fiercely competitive Pool Two, Exeter and Ospreys are joint top with Sale just a point behind so three teams go into next week’s fixtures with a chance of qualifying. a different person it had come from a fall in the bathroom!
“Whatever it was, he’s a great character for us to have in rugby.”
However, Cueto does not think England are going to breeze to another Six Nations triumph.
With a raft of injuries in the pack and some hard games on the schedule, it will be tough to make it successive Grand Slams.
“England will be really tested without guys like the Vunipola brothers, Chris Robshaw and Manu Tuilagi again,” he argues.
“Although we will be favourites, when you consider the injuries and the form of the other nations, it’s not so clear cut.”
This will be the first Six Nations to use the bonus-point system.
Cueto is a big advocate. “It has improved the Premiership as it encourages attacking rugby.
“Think back to the final day in 2015 when Wales, Ireland and England were going for the Championship.
“The teams had to go out looking to score tries and we had an incredible day of rugby.” HARLEQUINS came from behind to put themselves in a great position at the top of the Anglo-Welsh Cup pool three after a bonus point victory over battling Worcester.
Other than one period in the first half, it was a superb game throughout as Worcester took a onepoint lead into the final quarter following tries
from centre Wynard Olivier, wing Bryce Heem and hooker Joe Taufete’e, with fly-half Ryan Mills converting two and adding a penalty.
Quins had scored three tries via wing Charlie Walker, lock Charlie Matthews and wing Alofa Alofa, with Ruaridh Jackson converting them all, before another converted Alofa touchdown gave the visitors a 28-22 success.