Former head coach Eddie Jones says the scenes at the end of England’s defeat to Ireland on Saturday reminded him of the acrimonious end to his time in charge at Twickenham.
England went into the Six Nations with hopes of winning their first title since 2020, but their campaign was derailed by two consecutive defeats after being reversed by Scotland in the second round.
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Some home fans left the Allianz Arena early against Ireland and half-back George Ford was ironically cheered when he found a touch after two previous failed attempts.
“I felt a little bit under the weather at the end of the game,” Jones told his Rugby Unity podcast.
“I’ve had that feeling – the gray sky looks like it’s coming down on you and there’s a weird feeling in the stadium where it’s only half full and the people there are looking for a little blood.”
Jones ended his tenure in November 2022 with a 27-13 loss to South Africa, prompting a chorus of jeers.
Ten days later, the Rugby Football Union sacked him after reviewing the Australian’s record of five wins in 12 games that year.
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Jones believes Steve Borthwick, who was his assistant during England and Japan, made a mistake before the game and publicly stated that the team’s aim was to head to Paris on the final weekend and target the title.
The game was supposed to be a clash between the two pre-tournament favorites, but despite France taking a maximum of 15 points from their first three games, England could fall to the bottom of the table if they lose to the impressive Italy in their next and penultimate game in Rome on March 7.
Japan coach Jones added: “I thought Steve made some very unusual comments in the championship decider against France.”
“Steve is the most pragmatic and smart coach you could ever meet, but looking into the future of any franchise is fraught with danger. We all know that.
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“Players read everything, right? Wives read everything, girlfriends read everything, boyfriends read everything.
“They all read it, right? They heard it, and they talked to them, and they said, ‘We have to buy tickets to France, where are we staying, where are we going to have dinner the night before?’
“All of this is going to happen, right? So you can get a slight mental change in the team where they start to look to the future.”
Jones said the drastic drop in England’s performance after their 12th consecutive win was down to “emotional control”.
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“It depends on game preparation, leadership on the field or one or two players who don’t really like the team,” he added.
“It could be any of those factors.”
The 66-year-old believes the solution lies with England’s leaders on and off the field to bring the squad together, but he also urged Borthwick to reconsider his decision to deploy Henry Pollock from the outset.
The Northampton backline has entered the starting XV for the first time after seven appearances as a substitute.
While Pollock produced some eye-catching moments, beating five defenders, winning a breakaway, making the home side’s sixth-highest metre, and making the most interceptions of any player in England’s back row, Jones believes he can have a greater impact in his short bursts off the bench.
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“Pollock to me was like, if you go back, [former South Africa back row] Bobby Skinstad — handsome, always tanned, and he could play ball,” Jones said.
“He’s one of those players who comes on for 20 minutes and finds himself in the right position, but he’s not a ‘struggling’ player.
“To play 80 games in the back row, you have to be ready to grind. Maybe it’s not the best job for him.”