‘I’m thinking about retribution’: Eddie Jones takes aim at RFU
Eddie Jones intends to snub his former employers at the Rugby Football Union if Australia meet England at the World Cup this year. Jones has also revealed he is seeking “retribution” after taking charge of the Wallabies.
Jones’s stunning return to the Australia job was announced on Sunday night and he will officially take up the role a little over seven weeks after he was shown the door by the RFU, who opted against a clause in his severance package that would prevent him coaching England’s rivals at the World Cup for “legal and moral” reasons.
The RFU chief executive, Bill Sweeney, has said he is comfortable with the idea of England facing the Wallabies in France despite Jones’s vast amount of inside knowledge. Sweeney was also adamant he and Jones, who was in talks with Rugby Australia over a potential return more than 12 months ago, parted on good terms but the 62-year-old Australian has suggested otherwise.
“I’m not thinking about England, I’m thinking about retribution because the most important thing is to get Australia playing really well and consistently well,” Jones told the Sydney Morning Herald. “If we happen to meet England on the way, well and good. I might have a conversation with some of the players and not with the administration. Then we’ll get on with the battle.”
England and Australia are on the same side of the World Cup draw and could meet in the quarter-finals in Marseille. If they finish top of their pool – or come second – they could lock horns in the final.
Jones, who plans to honour his commitment to coaching the Barbarians against Steve Hansen’s World XV at Twickenham on 28 May, said: “[The quarter-final] is something I’ve thought about. It’ll be another game, but another game with a bit of difference – just like coaching England against Australia, or England against Japan. They all mean a bit because you’ve had experience with the people in those teams, so there’s always a bit more emotion to it, but nothing over the top.”
Meanwhile, England’s defence coach, Kevin Sinfield, has hinted Owen Farrell, announced as captain by Steve Borthwick on Monday, is best suited to playing at fly-half after extolling the virtues of having a physical No 10.
Farrell has not started at fly-half for England since the opening match of the 2021 Six Nations, against Scotland, but has been in fine form for Saracens of late while his midfield partnership with Marcus Smith under Jones enjoyed limited success.
“It’s quite refreshing that we’ve got a 10 who wants to put his body on the line and wants to be physical,” said Sinfield, who has spoken to Farrell about his tackling technique. “It’s a great message for our younger players around the country. He wants to tackle. The challenge for us – and across the squad – is to ensure that we don’t cross that line.”