Jones heads for Japan to escape Saracens chaos

Coach to be reunited with George Gregan after agreeing to join champions in Tokyo

(GETTY IMAGES)

Eddie Jones, the former Wallaby coach who is cutting short his stay at Saracens as a result of the turmoil surrounding the club's future under new South African ownership, will leave English club rugby far behind him – and for a long time – when he walks away at the end of the Premiership campaign. Jones has agreed a five-year deal with the leading Japanese team Suntory Sungoliath, who finished second in last season's domestic Top League and then went on to beat their major rivals Sanyo Wild Knights in the play-off final.

The Tokyo-based side already have one celebrated Australian on their books: the World Cup-winning scrum-half George Gregan, who, with 139 international caps, is the most decorated player in the history of Test rugby. Coached by Jones for much of his career, Gregan moved to Japan last summer after a short spell in France with Toulon.

Jones, who is citing "personal reasons" for his decision to leave Saracens with two years remaining on his contract, attracted interest from clubs in England and France. Among those said to be interested in his services were Leicester, who currently have a caretaker coach in Richard Cockerill, and the Parisian team Stade Français, who are under the stewardship of another Australian, the former prop Ewen McKenzie.

However, Jones has close family ties with Japan, and together with the temptation of a five-year agreement – unusually generous in this day and age – those links persuaded him to retreat from high-profile rugby for now.

There must be moments when Steve Borthwick, the beleaguered England captain, wishes he could step back from the front line. Borthwick, signed by Jones last summer, has absorbed an entire ocean of criticism since the start of the international season, and yesterday, he found himself on the wrong end of some wounding words from Lawrence Dallaglio, who led the national team in the late Nineties and again in 2004.

"I think it has been difficult for him because clearly, your captain normally comes from one of the best two or three performers in the team," said Dallaglio, slipping the stiletto neatly between the second and third ribs. "Steve hasn't hit those performance levels yet, so his selection is going to come into question. It is more of a performance issue than a captaincy issue."

Borthwick, who will lead the team for the ninth time against France on Sunday, was in one of his more relaxed moods yesterday, despite being heartily hacked off with the constant sniping. "The captaincy has its challenges," he said. "But then, there are millions of people who would want to be in my position, which makes it fantastic. I know that the view of me as captain is inextricably linked to the results of the team. That's reality."

On the vexed question of England's chronic failure to stay on the right side of referees, he confessed that his players were "chasing too many lost causes" in attempting to win the ball at the breakdown. "In the last year or so, we've worked hard on being extremely competitive in the tackle area," he said, "but that needs to coupled with good decision-making, with pragmatism and awareness."

Yesterday, it was announced that England would be based in the South Island for much of the pool stage of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, starting with a game against Argentina in Christchurch on the first weekend. Their final, potentially decisive group match against Scotland will be played at Eden Park in Auckland.

Wales face a demanding opening fixture against the reigning champions, South Africa, in Wellington, while Ireland, in a pool with Australia and Italy, start with a game against one of the qualifiers from the Americas – most likely Canada or the United States – in New Plymouth.

New Zealand 2011: World Cup fixtures

Opening games

9 Sept: New Zealand v Tonga (Auckland)

10 Sept: Scotland v play-off winner (Invercargill)

10 Sept: Argentina v England (Christchurch)

11 Sept: Ireland v Chile/Brazil/Uruguay/Canada/US (New Plymouth)

11 Sept: South Africa v Wales (Wellington)

Knockout stages

8-9 Oct: Quarter-finals (Wellington & Christchurch)

15-16 Oct: Semi-finals (Auckland)

21 Oct: Third-place play-off (Auckland)

23 Oct: Final (Auckland)

For the full World Cup draw, visit independent.co.uk/worldcupdraw