"I couldn't be more excited about the prospects for this team," Eddie Jones insisted, after his side slumped to a third-place finish following a 25-13 defeat to France in Paris; RFU release statement backing Jones
Sunday 20 March 2022 15:39, UK
Eddie Jones has urged fans to "keep the faith", after England were forced to settle for a third-place finish in the Guinness Six Nations following a 25-13 defeat to France in Paris.
France claimed their first Six Nations crown and Grand Slam since 2010, while England were left to reflect on another underwhelming campaign.
For the third time in five years, England ended the tournament with three defeats from their five matches, which has heightened the scrutiny on Jones, just 18 months ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
The 62-year-old refused to be drawn on speculation surrounding his future on Saturday night, and speaking on Sunday morning, he reiterated his belief that he is the right man to lead England.
"They [England fans] have got to have some faith," Jones said. "I think I have done a reasonable job for England over the past seven years.
"We are going through a period now where we are rebuilding the team and it takes time. Look at the French team, it took them three years to win the [Six Nations] Championship.
"We have rebuilt the side from the last Six Nations. I think the progress is very positive. The results aren't the results we would like.
"We would all like to be winning tournaments and be top of the table, but we are not quite good enough to do that now, but within the next 12 to 14 months when we prepare for the World Cup, we will be."
When asked whether he retained the backing of the RFU ahead of the 2023 edition, he added: "You would have to ask the RFU that. My job is just to do my job, which is to start preparing for the Australian tour now."
England return to action against the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 19 before they depart for a three-Test series in Australia, and Jones is bullish about what the future holds.
"Am I pleased with the job I'm doing? I am not pleased with the results, but do I think I'm coaching well? 100 per cent," Jones claimed.
"I think I am coaching well, but sometimes you don't get the results. I've coached for long enough to know that this is all part of rebuilding a team, and rebuilding a team at international level is a complex and intriguing project, particularly when you're coaching a team like England.
"The expectation is so high and you don't get any latitude when you are bringing young players through, who tend to be more inconsistent as they learn their craft at international level.
"I couldn't be more excited about the prospects for this team. The only thing I am worried about now is preparing for Australia.
"I think we have got 11 Tests before the World Cup, and that means Freddie [Steward] and guys like Marcus [Smith] and Harry Randall are going to increase their Test experience by a 100 per cent in that period. The timing for our team going into the World Cup I think is very good."
Later on Sunday, the RFU released a statement backing Jones. It said: "Eddie Jones is building a new England team and against a clear strategy we are encouraged by the solid progress the team has made during this Six Nations campaign.
"Eddie and his team of coaches and players will conduct a full review as is normal after each tournament. The RFU advisory panel which consists of board and executive members, former players and coaches along with Eddie will also undertake a de-brief to discuss the strong positive steps forward during this campaign and the areas we need to address. The advisory group has been in place since 2019 and it meets regularly both during and after each tournament to evaluate clear targets and progression.
"The RFU continues to fully support Eddie, the coaching team and players and we are excited about the summer tour and the progress to rebuild a winning England team."
James Cole - Sky Sports News reporter
"Keep the faith", said Eddie Jones - but should we?
England finished third in this year's Six Nations after two wins from five. It has left many English rugby fans questioning if Jones is the right man to take the team forward to next year's World Cup in France.
The RFU will conduct its usual tournament review, but Jones is unlikely to come under pressure from his bosses at Twickenham because his contract expires after the World Cup and he's made it clear he will leave.
There's also no obvious, available, affordable candidate to replace him.
Nonetheless, concerns remain over England's midfield options in the absence of injury-prone Manu Tuilagi, and a lack of a long-term back-up plan 18 months out from the World Cup.
Jones has also made questionable tactical decisions in this Six Nations. Substituting fly-half Marcus Smith in the tense closing stages against Scotland - and failing to get Jamie George on the field for a crucial lineout proved very costly.
Had England beaten Scotland at Murrayfield in the opening round, Jones' position would not be in question.
For England fans questioning the man in charge, Jones points to steady progress and a young developing team. He has a good point.
The Head Coach has changed his number 8, scrum-half, fly-half and full-back in the last five months. Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward have 35 international caps between them and are all 24 or younger.
All four are outstanding talents and have big international futures - but they are still learning the ropes. The key question is: can they peak in France in 18 months' time?
Jones thinks so, and having jettisoned Mako and Billy Vunipola in search of the "New England", he certainly hopes so.
It is worth noting too that England's backline is missing the talent and experience of captain Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson, Jonny May and Jonathan Joseph to injury.
The England rugby glass certainly isn't full yet; whether it's half-full or half-empty will become much clearer in Australia this summer.
