Gavin Mairs.
Eddie Jones is the outsider looking in, writes
ONLY one game counts as far as England coach Eddie Jones is concerned, and it’s not against the All Blacks at Twickenham next November.
England, who have won 20 of their 21 test matches under Jones, have set the target of hunting down world champions New Zealand, with the 2018 meeting between the two sides hailed as one of the most defining games in the build-up to the World Cup a year later.
Experience tells Jones different, as he recalled the Wallabies’ change of fortunes against the All Blacks in 2003, another World Cup year.
‘‘When we played New Zealand in July 2003 and got beaten by 50 points, it was embarrassing. Then we beat them in the semifinal [of the World Cup], when it counted,’’ he said.
‘‘Only one game is going to count between England and New Zealand and that is at the World Cup.’’
Jones also has a revelation that could prove critical to England’s World Cup hopes in Japan.
‘‘I have always been an outsider,’’ Jones says. ‘‘Because I am halfAustralian and half-Japanese in Australia I am an outsider, and in Japan I am an outsider. In South Africa I was an outsider. It has always been the case.’’
Nor does he yet feel like an honorary Englishman, even as he reaches the second anniversary of his appointment as England head coach.
‘‘I don’t really think about Jones said.
‘‘I put my heart on my sleeve. I can’t give any more, I can’t give any less. I give it everything I have got. that,’’ I give
Yet it is not his famed work ethic that could be the point of difference in England’s World Cup plans.
Jones may have received the ultimate endorsement by the rugby establishment in winning coach of the year in November.
But he insists it is has been a skill cultivated as a perpetual outsider – to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different rugby cultures – that has shaped his coaching style and brought the best out of players.
He points to Australia’s famous 2003 World Cup victory over the All Blacks in Sydney as a notable example. He is attempting to do the same with England as he fine-tunes his plans for the tournament in Japan in 2019.
‘‘The thing I remember the most was that there was a huge headline in the Sydney Morning Herald, the piece was written by Peter FitzSimons, who I used to play with,’’ says Jones, recalling the 22-10 shock victory over All Blacks, the boys every bit of attention.’’ overturning a 50-point reverse when they last faced each other.
‘‘He said something along the lines of ‘the Wallabies will be scared kangaroos in the headlights, they will freeze’. We did the exact opposite. We played with courage, we played with bravado.
‘‘That is everything that Australian sport is about. That is what we are trying to do with England. It’s funny as an Australian I am trying to bring out the best in the English; they are tough, they want to fight, they want to keep going and that is how we want to play our rugby.’’
To achieve that objective, Jones has broadened his outsider approach to use coaches from other sports or rugby cultures, such as Jason Ryles, the Melbourne Storm rugby league coach, Dean Amasinger, a former mixed martial arts fighter, and Jimmy Radcliffe, the University of Oregon’s strength and conditioning coach, on a consultative basis.
It appears to be working. Jones had previously talked about English players being too reticent.
‘‘I think we have the right characters. Dylan [Hartley, England’s captain] has helped in that regard, Owen Farrell is naturally quite an aggressive person, so we have some great leaders there setting the example,’’ Jones said.
‘‘Maro [Itoje] is a guy who doesn’t fear anything.’’
Jones employed similar tactical approaches as rugby consultant when the Springboks won the World Cup in 2007 and again as head coach of Japan in 2015 when his side had a shock win over South Africa in the pool stages.
The Australian compensated for his side’s weaknesses in the setpiece with superior analysis, allowing his players to maximise their pace and conditioning in the final quarter.
When the Rugby Football Union turned to him two years ago to rebuild the England squad from the detritus of their 2015 World Cup campaign, Jones was upbeat.
‘‘I thought they had potentially a great team coming,’’ he said
But he has had to alter approach along the way.
‘‘The biggest thing that has changed in coaching is that you have got to be much more consultative with the players now than you used to be,’’ Jones said.
‘‘Twenty years ago you would go in at half-time, slam the table and say, ‘what’s going on? You’re not giving us enough!’ Now it is more a case of asking the players what they have to do, and good players know what they have to do.’’
So how did all this come about? ‘‘Different generations, mate,’’ he said.
‘‘The life I had is easier than the life my father had. The life my daughter has had is easier than the life I’ve had.
‘‘It’s neither good nor bad, just the way life changes.’’
And then the outsider returns his planning.
Telegraph, London his it is to the Year in 2015, netting an impressive 13 goals and earned a place in the Socceroos’ squad, playing a key role in their triumphant Asian Cup campaign.
He left the A-League to join FC Tokyo, then this year joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima in July.
‘‘We’re absolutely delighted have Nathan back’’, Dome said.
‘‘He’s a player with a top, top pedigree, a tremendous work ethic and ambition to succeed and he’s somebody that’s synonymous with some of the best times we’ve seen at this club.’’
After bursting on to the scene with Adelaide United Burns had a brief spell with Newcastle Jets before really fulfilling his potential with the Phoenix in Season 2014-15.
‘‘I’ve had some very positive experiences overseas, in Japan but also playing with the [Australian] national team, but I’m ready to come back,’’ said Burns.
‘‘When I was in Wellington I was playing really well, it was probably the highlight of my career, I had good players around me, guys like Roy and Mikey who are still here, and as soon as I landed again I felt happy to be in the city, it feels like home. to