Eddie Jones Points Finger at Borthwick for England's Six Nations Downfall
Eddie Jones has directly attributed England's dramatic collapse in the Guinness Six Nations championship to what he perceives as head coach Steve Borthwick's premature public focus on a potential title decider against France. This criticism comes as England languish in fourth position in the tournament table following consecutive and emphatic defeats to Scotland and Ireland. These losses have rapidly undone the progress built during a previous 12-Test winning streak, transforming the upcoming round-four fixture against Italy in Rome on 7 March into a critical must-win encounter.
Borthwick's Controversial Pre-Tournament Vision
The current predicament starkly contrasts with the optimistic vision Borthwick outlined when announcing his Six Nations squad last month. On 23 January, the head coach stated, "On March 14 in Paris, we want to be in a position entering that game where we can achieve what we're all aiming to achieve. We want England fans flooding across the Channel to Paris to watch the team in a massive encounter in the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want." Jones, who served as England boss from 2016 to 2022 before Borthwick's tenure, has now publicly questioned the wisdom and origin of these remarks.
Jones Questions RFU Influence and Psychological Impact
Speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast, Jones expressed his concerns. "I'll go back to the start of the Six Nations. I thought Steve made some very uncharacteristic comments about a title-decider against France, looking ahead," Jones said. "Steve is the most pragmatic and intelligent coach you could meet, but to look ahead for any team is fraught with danger. We all know that." He further suggested that external pressure from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) might have influenced Borthwick's statements. "But sometimes the pressure comes so that the union, the RFU, wants to hear more. They want to entice the fans because they're all hungry for money so they want fans support. So be bold, come out – someone has told him to do that."
Jones elaborated on the psychological consequences for the squad, explaining that such forward-looking comments can inadvertently distract players and their families. "The players read everything, the wives read everything, the girlfriends read everything, the boyfriends read everything, they all read it," he said. "They hear that and they talk to them and they say, 'We've got to get our tickets for France. Where are we staying? Where are we going to go the night before for dinner?' All of that happens and the slight psychological change you get in the team because of that, they start to look ahead."
The Lasting Scar from Murrayfield Defeat
The former coach insists that the 31-20 mauling at Murrayfield, where England conceded an early 17-0 deficit, left a profound "mental scar" that subsequently impacted their performance in the five-try rout by Ireland. "They got caught on the hop against Scotland. The Scotland game against Wales shows that they were just caught on the hop," Jones analysed. "That was a one-off, but now that one-off has crept into their psyche. They're disappointed about where they are and they're all feeling a bit threatened now." He concluded by emphasising the urgent need for robust leadership to navigate the current challenges, stating, "How do you change it around? It takes leadership on and off the field."
