England

England coach Eddie Jones. Photo: AFP

Eddie Jones: Boks can inspire England to World Cup success!

Eddie Jones believes England can look at the success of the Springboks as a source of hope prior to the 2023 World Cup.

England

England coach Eddie Jones. Photo: AFP

Eddie Jones has found himself under increasing pressure after England concluded a disappointing Six Nations by slipping to defeat against France this past weekend.

Many have begun to question whether Jones it the correct person to continue leading England through to the next World Cup in France, with certain pundits even calling for the Boks’ Rassie Erasmus to take over.

ICYMI: BOKS SET TO FACE SIX NATIONS CHAMPS FRANCE IN NOVEMBER

Erasmus was, of course, the man who inspired a remarkable turnaround for the Springboks when he took over as coach some 18 months before the 2019 World Cup.

At the time, the Boks were dwindling down in seventh place on the world rugby rankings, having suffered a sequence of shocking defeats under the guidance of former coach Allister Coetzee.

England have recently slipped to fifth in the latest World Rugby rankings, and have lost plenty of ground since surging into the 2019 World Cup final, where they were favourites to beat South Africa.

However, Jones believes all is not lost despite England’s mixed fortunes since 2019, and made a specific reference to the Springboks when reporters suggested that hosts France are now odds-on to win their first World Cup next year.

“You’re making judgements on a team now, and the World Cup is in 14 months’ time. So, if you were to make a judgement on South Africa 14 months before the [2019] World Cup, you would have said South Africa can’t win the World Cup; they had won 40% of their Tests in the previous 12 months. Those sorts of judgments are premature.

“In 14 months, that will be the case for us – the team will change considerably and we will either get stronger or get weaker, and our aim is going to make them stronger and you can’t know what is going to happen to France.

“You don’t know who is going to be available for them but, certainly, the atmosphere [on Saturday] was intoxicating. 

“That is the great thing about sport, you don’t know when a team is going to peak, and your aim as a coach is to peak them at the right time, and our aim is to peak at the World Cup and I have said that consistently.

“That has been the plan and that is what we are going to do.”

READ | BOKS’ 2022 TESTS REVEALED! SURPRISE VENUE FOR ALL BLACKS CLASH

TOP 20 IN THE LATEST WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS, WITH ENGLAND DOWN IN FIFTH

1. South Africa 90.61

2. France 88.88

3. New Zealand 88.75

4. Ireland 88.22

5. England 84.50

6. Australia 83.92

7. Scotland 81.80

8. Argentina 80.58

9. Wales 79.28

10. Japan 78.26

11. Fiji 76.62

12. Georgia 73.78

13. Samoa 73.59

14. Italy 72.33

15. Spain 68.26

16. Tonga 67.72

17. Romania 66.95

18. USA 66.54

19. Uruguay 66.40

20. Portugal 65.72

Others:

24. Namibia 59.72

34. Zimbabwe 51.82