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Eddie Jones says culture change is key to rebuilding England

England rugby union head coach Eddie Jones addresses members of the media
Image: New head coach Eddie Jones wants to create a culture change within the England squad

Eddie Jones says he needs to change the culture of "collecting England caps", which he feels has been a major factor in the national side's decline.

Jones, who was appointed head coach at Twickenham in November, believes it has become commonplace for players to accept being called up to the squad as their main ambition - at the cost of success.

England have won only one Six Nations crown since 2003 while Wales, Ireland and France have shared out the rest.

Maybe in the past it has been just enough to win a cap without winning and the results would certainly indicate that.
Eddie Jones

Jones believes that in the past, England's players have been happy to be involved with the squad and, in turn, lacked the intensity to make the "three per cent" improvement needed for success.

"There is a big difference between playing for England and winning for England. If you want to win for England you have to strive every day to be a better player," Jones said.

"Maybe in the past it has been just enough to win a cap without winning and the results would certainly indicate that.

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"When I showed the players the Six Nations results and where we are ranked since 2003, I think they were relatively shocked.

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"It means at the moment we are in tier three of Europe. In the bottom three teams.

"To change that is about three per cent - but that three per cent is hard because it is doing all the things you don't want to do."

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