"Every coach is under pressure, I'm under pressure because the results haven't been good enough. We accept the responsibility of pressure; He [Farrell] wants to be captain. He thinks he's the best captain. We had a good chat, and I would have been disappointed if he wasn't so angry"
Friday 1 July 2022 06:23, UK
Eddie Jones accepts he is "under pressure" as his England side tour Australia for a three-Test series, live on Sky Sports, adding Owen Farrell is "unhappy not to be captain".
Jones leads England against his native Wallabies off the back of a second successive Six Nations in which his team have registered just two wins from five, and off the back of a dire 52-21 home defeat to a 14-man Barbarians side.
Amid talk that Jones' job as head coach could come into question should July's series vs Australia go badly, the 62-year-old Aussie says he understands the pressure and scrutiny he is under.
"Every international coach is under pressure, I'm under pressure because the results haven't been good enough," Jones said on Thursday having named his squad for Saturday's first Test.
"Our expectations are high, the media's expectations are high, everyone's expectations are high and that's okay.
"When the chairman comes out and says: 'I'm promising you results', where does the pressure go? It goes on the coach.
"Dave Rennie's [Australia head coach] under pressure, across the ditch [New Zealand] they're under pressure. Everyone's under pressure.
"But it's the part of the job that we like and enjoy, and we accept the responsibility of the pressure."
In addition to bringing scrum-half Danny Care and No 8 Billy Vunipola back into the team for the first time in years - Care since 2018, Vunipola since March 2021 - the other headline team news saw Courtney Lawes retain the captaincy despite Owen Farrell returning to the team following his ankle injuries.
Jones admitted Farrell was not pleased with the decision.
"Very unhappy [Farrell's response]," Jones added. "Owen's a bloke that expresses his feelings clearly.
"He wants to be captain and when I told him he wasn't captain he wasn't happy. He's had a long time out of the team and we feel the best for the team is that.
"He's got 97 caps for England and he's won everything apart from the World Cup. He's very important for us.
"Courtney Lawes has got a good sense of togetherness, he's calm, engaging with the players. He's the right fit for this tour."
In a further exclusive interview with Sky Sports in Australia, Jones said: "Courtney (Lawes) did a good job during the Six Nations, and with Owen (Farrell) being out for a fair period of time, we wanted him to really concentrate on his game and be the best player he can be. So we thought for this tour, that's the right situation.
"He wants to be captain. He thinks he's the best captain, and at this stage I've made a decision the other way.
"We had a good chat about it, and I would have been disappointed if he wasn't so angry about it, which is good.
"There's no reason why he can't [return as captain], but the big job for him now is to play three good, hard Tests and play at his best.
"He's also got a young 10 with him, and it's an important job to mentor him."
Harlequins scrum-half Care makes a surprise return to the starting team at 35, but his form at club level over the last couple of years alongside England playmaker Marcus Smith has been superb.
His performances have not been lost on Jones.
"We've been watching Danny closely, he's been good for his club. Ever since he's come in he's impressed. The Optus Stadium [Perth, Saturday's first Test] is hard and suit will his style of play.
"He's had good consistent form for his club and deserves this opportunity.
"It was a very tight decision, Harry Randall has been in good form, but the young guy [Jack van Poortlviet] can finish the game off as well."
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Joe Cokanasiga, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Courtney Lawes (c), 7 Tom Curry, 8 Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Jack van Poortlviet, 22 Guy Porter, 23 Henry Arundell.
As well as showing England in Australia this summer, Sky Sports will show Ireland's five-match tour of New Zealand, Wales' three-Test tour of South Africa and Scotland's three-Test tour of Argentina.
Saturday, July 2
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
Saturday, July 9
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
Tuesday, July 12
Maori All Blacks vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 8am (kick off is at 8.05am)
Saturday, July 16
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
