Sack Eddie now: A thought experiment

[Puja]

I have to say, as gash as we are right now, I don't see sacking Jones at this point as an option. But we can certainly tear up that contract extension if we don't see a real reaction from him. Nobody can hide from the persisting issues at this point.

England should be sending out an SOS to Banquo/Puja/Digby.

I’m all for hitting the panic button but this is madness. If the RFU do want to go down this route I want a ticket to the first selection meeting. Banquo would be saying it’s not even worth picking a team as the players aren’t good enough, Diggers would pick Kvesic for every position and Puja would be saying he still thinks Lancaster should be head coach. If they were to ask my opinion, I’d suggest they pick Chris Cook at flyhalf.

My MO is to hold irrational faith that the England coaching staff know what they're doing, so I'd probably burst a blood vessel trying to justify whatever we turned out.

Puja

[Raggs]

I tend to try and hold faith, but Farrell as captain needs to stop soon.

[Stom]

I do feel there are two strands to England's problems, one of which looks intentional and which, on it's own, would probably not result in these desperate performances. The other, though, looks like a bigger problem.

1) The players are being flogged. Eddie wants to get them thinking when their legs have gone, so when he removes the physical stress they're suddenly super beings.
2) There is a culture of laddishness, a lack of leadership and a "we're better than you" mindset that causes problems both on pitch and off, exemplified by Farrell's captaincy. This team looks made in his image, which really is not a good look. He has improved massively as a player, but he is not the guy to build a team around, he's the guy who needs the team to curb the unsavoury parts of his character and game.

Interestingly, he seems to have fallen out of favour slightly with some of the media, at least.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... -world-cup
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... uth-africa

Is that the case in other media?

[Oakboy]

Interesting that when in charge of Australia Jones lost 7 out of his last 8!

[Mellsblue]

I do feel there are two strands to England's problems, one of which looks intentional and which, on it's own, would probably not result in these desperate performances. The other, though, looks like a bigger problem.

1) The players are being flogged. Eddie wants to get them thinking when their legs have gone, so when he removes the physical stress they're suddenly super beings.
2) There is a culture of laddishness, a lack of leadership and a "we're better than you" mindset that causes problems both on pitch and off, exemplified by Farrell's captaincy. This team looks made in his image, which really is not a good look. He has improved massively as a player, but he is not the guy to build a team around, he's the guy who needs the team to curb the unsavoury parts of his character and game.

Interestingly, he seems to have fallen out of favour slightly with some of the media, at least.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... -world-cup
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... uth-africa

Is that the case in other media?

Owen Slot gave him 5/10. Good as a player not as captain. Poor management of referee and directing side from trouble.

So, question marks over his captaincy yet still blind faith that he played well.


Stuart Barnes is calling for Jones’s head.

[Lizard]

Grauniad nails it

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... are_btn_tw

[Stom]

Grauniad nails it

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... are_btn_tw

If you'd taken a minute to look just a little bit up the page, you'd have seen that same link

But I guess you're not used to looking up now, are you...

[Peat]

2) There is a culture of laddishness, a lack of leadership and a "we're better than you" mindset that causes problems both on pitch and off, exemplified by Farrell's captaincy. This team looks made in his image, which really is not a good look. He has improved massively as a player, but he is not the guy to build a team around, he's the guy who needs the team to curb the unsavoury parts of his character and game.

This has never been a smart set of players, we all know that, but Jones' desire to have them play as close to the line as possible does seem to be bringing out the worst in them. Hartley, bizarrely enough, seemed to be able to control it. Farrell can't.

Not helped by the fact that Hartley can talk to refs and Farrell can't.

I still find a thought experiment where Farrell breaks his leg more interesting tbh. Will the centres work better? Will Ford do the goal kicking fine? Will we be worse or better led? I can't see a new coach chucking Farrell, sadly enough...

[Lizard]

Grauniad nails it

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... are_btn_tw

If you'd taken a minute to look just a little bit up the page, you'd have seen that same link

But I guess you're not used to looking up now, are you...

What? Read the threads I’m posting in? Crazy talk.

He’s fucked anyway - the Board have just come out in support. This is probably linked above somewhere but https://www.rugbypass.com/news/rfu-chie ... ddie-jones

[Oakboy]

Was there nothing in Jones's contract in terms of England's position in world rugby? I thought there had been talk of No 2 in the world as a target. Whether there was or not, dropping to No 6 can't be the best news for marketing/sponsorship options. The money issue tends to count with the blazers.

[morepork]

Interesting that when in charge of Australia Jones lost 7 out of his last 8!

That is a classic Eddie Jones pattern.

[Mellsblue]

Interesting that when in charge of Australia Jones lost 7 out of his last 8!

That is a classic Eddie Jones pattern.

On the plus side, it means we have a 50% chance of winning in Saturday. I’ll take those odds at the moment.

[Oakboy]

I'd still sack him despite today's victory but I don't expect the RFU to do so. They need little excuse to be indecisive and the one win will be enough for them.