Eddie Jones Says Rfu Would Be ‘foolhardy’ To Sack Steve Borthwick Before World Cup

Eddie Jones believes it would beryllium “foolhardy” for nan Rugby Football Union to switch Steve Borthwick arsenic England caput coach earlier nan World Cup successful Australia adjacent year.

Borthwick led England into nan Six Nations connected a tally of 11 wins and extended that to 12 successful nan opening crippled against Wales. But they past mislaid 4 matches – nan first clip England had been beaten successful 4 games successful a azygous Six Nations – including a maiden conclusion by Italy successful immoderate competition, to decorativeness 5th successful nan table.

Jones took complaint arsenic England caput coach aft their first-round exit connected location ungraded astatine nan 2015 World Cup and he was sacked astatine nan extremity of 2022.

For successive championships England had won only 2 of 5 games and a 27-13 conclusion by South Africa proved to beryllium nan Australian’s past lucifer successful charge.

The erstwhile England skipper Borthwick, an adjunct coach nether Jones pinch Japan and England, replaced him months retired from nan 2023 World Cup and led nan Red Rose broadside to 3rd spot successful France.

“Steve’s done a bully occupation pinch England, they’ve conscionable travel disconnected a drawstring of 12 wins,” Jones said connected Rugby Unity, nan podcast he co-hosts pinch David Pembroke and nan erstwhile Australia world Ewen McKenzie.

The 66-year-old Jones, now successful his 2nd stint arsenic coach of Japan, said: “There’s nary uncertainty that they had a bad tournament, truthful he’ll request to show to nan RFU that he knows why he’s had a bad tournament, he knows really he’s going to move it astir and I’m judge he tin do that.”

Jones, coach of his autochthonal Australia erstwhile they were beaten by England successful nan 2003 World Cup last successful Sydney, said that immoderate RFU reappraisal of nan Six Nations had to beryllium conducted by personification who had seen Borthwick astatine activity and understood nan action and unit issues confronting nan coach.

“The past 1 I did, I knew it was a discarded of time,” Jones said. “I was gone. I was ‘brown bread’ [dead].”

And pinch England ending nan Six Nations by scoring 7 tries successful a thrilling 48-46 defeat successful Paris against nan eventual champions France past weekend, Jones said: “I’ll opportunity it again – I deliberation [Borthwick is] nan correct man to coach England and I deliberation they should support him done this.

“Maybe he’s sewage a fewer things incorrect and they’ll request to thief him rectify those errors, but they’d beryllium foolhardy to change.”