Eddie Jones launches furious defence against ‘disrespectful’ critics over England’s lack of adventure

England boss claims talk of rugby’s issues is ‘childish’ given the demands of the players post-pandemic and says critics should show more respect to his side after their extra-time victory over France

Eddie Jones launched a passionate defence of England’s performances this autumn (Getty)

A furious Eddie Jones snapped at critics of his England side for their brand of winning rugby after hitting out at “disrespect” shown to his players following their Autumn Nations Cup final victory over France.

England were forced to dig deep to secure an extra-time 22-19 victory over a second-string France side, who in some positions were down to their third- and fourth-choice players due to an agreement with the Top 14 clubs over a limitation in playing time.

Full-back Brice Dulin’s first-half try, plus 14 points from the combined boots of Matthieu Jalibert and replacement Louis Carbonel, gave the French a seven-point lead heading into the final eight minutes of regular time.

However, despite an unusually off day for Owen Farrell in missing four of his eight kicks of goal, England remained in touch thanks to three penalties and a long-range effort from Elliot Daly, before second-half pressure told and replacement hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie crashed over from close range that together with Farrell’s conversion sent the game to sudden-death extra-time. Farrell rediscovered his range to kick a 95th-minute winner that secured England a second consecutive piece of silverware, with the Autumn Nations Cup victory following their Six Nations triumph in late October, but there remained criticism of their inability to break down a dogged French defence - something that Jones took exception to after the full-time whistle.

“Can I just say I think you are being totally disrespectful to the players the way you criticise the rugby,” Jones said at the end of his press conference.

READ MORE: England defeat France in extra-time to win Autumn Nations Cup

“Rugby needs to be positive at the moment, it is a tough time for the sport, it is a tough time to play rugby and the players are playing and we are all trying to play as good a rugby as we can.

“Consider the players are coming off at least a 10-match season (since August) without having any pre-season to prepare for the international game. It has been tough for the players and I think you are being disrespectful to the players and world rugby, and should be trying to paint a much more positive picture of the sport. It is a sport we love and it is a difficult game to play.”

There has been plenty of scrutiny over the way England have played through the Autumn Nations Cup, with victories over Georgia, Ireland and Wales built on resilient defensive displays that helped to batter the opposition into submission. Their relentless kick attack, which has been driven by Farrell, Henry Slade, Elliot Daly and the return to fitness of George Ford, has allowed England to heap the pressure continually on their opponents until mistakes are drawn, given the dangers that currently lie in the breakdown area of the game.

Jones has likened the current application of the laws of the game to the 2007 World Cup, where a kick-focussed South Africa were able to defend their way to glory, but he fumed at suggestions that his side were doing the same and labelled concerns of the current state of the game “childish” in the belief that it will return to an attack-first sport by the time of the next World Cup in 2023.

“Look, the game is tough at the moment and it goes through cycles of being tough,” he said. “I have coached since before 2000 and I remember in the 2000 Super Rugby final we (the Brumbies) had 78 per cent possession and got beaten 20-19 by a team who contested harder at the breakdown, the Crusaders.

“The next year we changed our game, kicked a lot more and won the game 30-6. The game goes through evolutions and cycles and the law interpretation is certainly significant in that and we are just going through one of those tough cycles.

England won a second consecutive trophy but were criticised for their style of play (EPA)

“Don't get so worried about it. Haven't you seen rugby go through these cycles before? I find it all a bit childish, mate - all this talk. I'm sorry.

“Obviously, you have to win. If we don't win, we dont coach. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that - so let's be quite blunt about that. In terms of the rugby - do you think we go out there and don't want to play good rugby? Are you seriously asking me that question?

“Sometimes you can't play good rugby, so I apologise, I am not as good a coach as you and all your mates. I apologise.”