Eddie Jones and Rassie Erasmus. Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images via AFP
Rassie: Eddie Jones is a man who has rugby in his heart!
Rassie Erasmus has highlighted his respect for counterpart Eddie Jones, who was dramatically axed by England this week.
Eddie Jones and Rassie Erasmus. Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images via AFP
On Tuesday, England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) officially confirmed that “following a review of the Autumn Internationals, Eddie Jones has been dismissed from the position of England Men’s Head Coach.”
During his seven-year tenure, Jones oversaw 81 Tests matches, featuring 59 wins, 20 losses and two draws. During that period, he also fielded 112 different players.
The veteran coach steered England to three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2016, two series wins in Australia, an unbeaten run of 18 matches, an Autumn Nations Cup, and a Rugby World Cup final in Japan.
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Jones is a well-known figure in South African rugby, having served as a consultant during the successful 2007 World Cup, while he was briefly appointed as Stormers coach before abruptly heading to England.
He also oversaw Japan’s shock win over the Springboks at the 2015 World Cup, and when Rassie Erasmus took over as the boss of the Boks in 2018, the two men have been in opposite coaching boxes on several occasions.
South Africa and England of course went head-to-head in the 2019 World Cup final, while at the end of last year, Erasmus received a dramatic ban from World Rugby on the eve of a Test at Twickenham on 20 November 2021.
Taking to social media this week, Erasmus gave Jones a shout out with a subtle tweet that highlighted a wholesome interaction between the two experienced coaches, which seemingly took place just days after that dramatic match at Twickenham.
In his caption, Erasmus emphasises that “Jones is a man who has rugby in his heart!”
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will now conclude the long-term work it has been undertaking on coach succession planning, with changes set to be announced in the near future. Leicester coach Steve Borthwick is expected to take over.
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Jones made a brief statement after the announcement was made.
“I am pleased with much that we have achieved as an England team and I look forward to watching the team’s performance in the future,” said Jones. “Many of the players and I will no doubt keep in touch and I wish them all well in their future careers.”
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ENGLAND MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS AFTER FIRING JONES
“It is important to recognise the huge contribution Eddie has made to English rugby, winning three Six Nations Championships, one Grand Slam and taking us to a Rugby World Cup Final,” said RFU CEO, Bill Sweeney.
“He has the highest win ratio of any previous England head coach and has helped develop the leadership skills of many players and coaches. I am grateful to Eddie for all he has done for England across many areas of the game and the professional way in which he has approached reviewing the performance of the team. He has provided the panel with astute insight and meaningful lessons that will support the team performance going forward.”
The decision for Eddie to leave was officially taken by the RFU board on Tuesday.
Speaking about the decision, RFU Chair, Tom Ilube said: “The independent review panel regularly updates board on its discussions and findings. We are fully supportive of its process and recommendations.”
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