Sunday 20 January 2019 15:11, UK
Eddie Jones believes Johnny Sexton has a "bat phone to the referee" as he suggested the Ireland star receives preferential treatment from match officials.
Jones' England side face defending Six Nations champions Ireland in their opening game of this year's campaign on February 2 and World Rugby Player of the Year Sexton is expected to be fit, despite currently being sidelined with a knee injury.
"Sexton is a reasonably big player who has the bat phone to the referee," said Jones.
"He is the only one allowed to pick up the red phone to talk to the referee.
"When he talks, the referee listens. That is because of his status in the game - you earn that, like Richie McCaw did."
Jones, meanwhile, entered the debate over spying on opponents in training ignited by the admission of Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa that he has had all rivals in the Championship secretly watched by a member of his staff.
While Jones believes there was once a benefit in such subterfuge, he insists technology has made it redundant.
"Fifteen years ago we used to send people out in costumes to watch training," said Jones.
"I can remember sending a coach, who is now in a very senior position, in a costume to go and watch one team play and he got chased out of there.
"He was dressed up like a swagman, wearing one of those hats with corks.
"Now you don't need to do that because you see everything in the game. I have been coaching for 20 years and it has always been going on. If you want to do that you can do it.
"I can say with a hand on my heart we don't do it any more. We just don't see the value of it because we can glean most of the stuff from the games."
