England Head Coach Eddie Jones.
Alex Davidson – Rfu | The Rfu Collection | Getty Images
Eddie Jones has been sacked as England head coach after seven years in charge, just nine months out from the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Jones’ exit, confirmed by the Rugby Football Union on Tuesday, comes following a dismal autumn series and leaves England searching for a successor in the knowledge their opening game at the next World Cup in France is against Argentina on September 9, 2023.
England’s November campaign brought confirmation that they had endured their worst calendar year since 2008, as they posted a losing Test record for the first time since that year too: six losses, one draw, five wins.
This autumn, England finished with a 27-13 defeat to South Africa. That came after suffering a first loss to Argentina at Twickenham for 16 years (and anywhere for 13 years), beating Japan, and conjuring up a 25-25 draw with New Zealand from a position of 25-6 behind going into the final 10 minutes.
As sensational as that comeback was, though, reviewing the full Test reveals England’s performance was as poor as in the South Africa game, with their incredible three-try-salvo late on papering over all manner of cracks.
The last two Six Nations campaigns in 2021 and 2022, when England finished fifth and third respectively after losing three Tests in each, prompted formal reviews from the RFU, both of which Jones survived.
But the latest two-week review into England’s performance has led to his downfall.
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In a statement released on Tuesday, the RFU said: “Following a review of the autumn, Eddie Jones has been dismissed from the position of England Men’s Head Coach.
“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.
“In the interim, Richard Cockerill will take over the day to day running of the men’s performance team.”
Sweeney: We are grateful to Eddie | Jones: I am pleased with my achievements
RFU CEO Bill Sweeney expressed his gratitude for Jones’ work during his seven-year tenure, in which he boasted the highest “win ratio” of any England coach.
“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 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.”
Upon his sacking, Jones wished England well for the future.
“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.”
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.”
Jones’ England journey ends after worst year since 2008
Jones came in as a highly-regarded head coach after the disaster that was England’s home 2015 World Cup pool stage exit, and led them to a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2016 and 3-0 series win in Australia that summer.
Aside from their run to the World Cup final in 2019, though, they have never reached such heights under the Australian again.
2017 saw sticky performances and a loss to Ireland en route to a title win, while 2018 proved an utter disaster, finishing fifth in the Six Nations after losses to Scotland, France, and Ireland at home, before losing a series in South Africa 2-1.
They threw away a chance to win the 2019 Six Nations after defeat in Cardiff, and rounded it off with a farcical 38-38 draw at home to Scotland after being 31-0 ahead, while 2020 saw them completely outplayed by France – although that campaign did end with a third Six Nations title of Jones’ reign.
Jones’ future has been under intense scrutiny ever since. In the aftermath of England’s defeat to South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Japan, the RFU set up an anonymous review panel, which has twice before been called upon to hold a series of meetings post-Test windows.
The first came after England’s 2021 Six Nations display, when they finished fifth after defeats to Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and the second after their 2022 Six Nations performance, when three more defeats to Scotland, Ireland and France left them some way off title contention.
Jones survived to remain in post on both occasions.
The loss to South Africa, however, in their final autumn Test confirmed England had endured their worst calendar year for 14 years. One more defeat can be added to that rotten record as well in the shape of England’s embarrassing 52-21 loss to a 14-man Barbarians side at Twickenham in June.
It left Jones and co to look back over an autumn series with very few positives, and one which prompted yet another RFU review.
Were it not for the last World Cup, it is highly likely Jones would have exited long ago. Therein lay the reason Jones continued to mention the next one perhaps.
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