Jones to learn fate after England failure
EDDIE JONES will find out next week the verdict of the Rugby Football Union’s investigation into a dismal Six Nations campaign as he fights for his England future.
Jones met with the RFU’s chief executive Bill Sweeney on Sunday to begin discussions over the fifth-place finish that has jeopardised his fiveyear reign as head coach.
The debrief into a campaign torpedoed by losses to Scotland, Wales and Ireland will span between seven and ten days and is being overseen by a panel drawn from the game with a meeting schedule already in place.
Sweeney must decide whether the second major slump of the Jones era is evidence of permanent stagnation or a temporary slide that he is equipped to reverse.
Among the criticisms made of the Australian are his loyalty to out-ofform players, failure to solve an onfield disciplinary crisis, conservative tactics, inconsistency in results and performances and the team’s failure to add up to the sum of its parts. However, it is understood the RFU admires Jones’ win ratio of 77 per cent, which is significantly above the next highest England head coach, Jack Rowell on 72 per cent. Sir Clive Woodward registered 71 per cent.
Jones’ success in plotting a route out of a similar downturn in 2018 also strengthens his position, with Sweeney to consider historical achievements as well as recent failures when reaching his conclusion. If the RFU decides to act, it will only be required to pay out the notice period on Jones’ deal, which expires after the 2023 World Cup.
England’s decline is reflected in the latest world rankings, in which they have dropped to fourth following their 32-18 defeat by Ireland.
They started the Six Nations in second place and, but for Jonny May’s consolation 79th-minute try in Dublin, would have sunk to fifth spot, which is occupied by Ireland.