Eddie Jones believes the constant expectation to win makes the England head coach position the most demanding job in world rugby. The former England boss, now leading Japan, says the scrutiny leaves no room for rebuilding during a Rugby World Cup cycle.
Unique Pressure Around England
Jones spent nearly seven years in charge of England, guiding them to the Rugby World Cup final in 2019. But after only five wins in 12 Tests in 2022, he was dismissed nine months before the 2023 tournament.
“In English rugby, you can never talk about rebuilding because the expectation is you win all the time,” Jones told BBC Sport. “You know when you get the job, you’re accepting that, so you can’t complain.”
By contrast, South Africa have shown that indifferent form before a World Cup can still lead to glory. The Springboks won just seven of 14 Tests in 2018 and had a 61.5% win rate across 2021-22, yet became back-to-back world champions.
A squad caught between eras
Jones says England’s dip in 2022 came during a “no man’s land” between fading senior players and younger talents not yet ready to win consistently. “They’re still good, but they’re not quite there,” he said. “Then you’ve got younger players who aren’t quite good enough to be Test match winners.”
He believes his successor Steve Borthwick has handled the transition well, praising England’s recent winning run and their displays against Argentina.
Japan still rising
Jones says Japan’s famous 2015 win over South Africa remains the result with the biggest legacy in his coaching career. It helped elevate Japan into rugby’s top tier, giving them opportunities to face the world’s best teams more frequently.
Japan now meet South Africa again on Saturday at Wembley Stadium, a decade on from their iconic upset — and Jones will once again be competing against Rassie Erasmus, a coach he calls innovative, sharp-minded, and always generous with a bottle of South African red wine.
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