Eddie Jones says the England team 'hasn't improved' since his 2022 departure

Eddie Jones has suggested that England have not improved since Steve Borthwick succeeded him in December 2022.

The Australian led England to three Six Nations titles – 2016, 2017 and 2020 – which included a Grand Slam, and took them to a World Cup final in 2019 where they lost 32-12 to South Africa.

But mounting pressure following poor results in 2021 and 2022 caused the RFU to remove Jones from his post just nine months out from the 2023 World Cup in favour of Borthwick.

Jones praised his former assistant for getting England to the World Cup semi-finals where they were once again denied by South Africa, before describing Borthwick’s style of rugby as “bread and butter” and saying “the team hasn’t improved” since his dismissal.

“I had a good run with England; seven years, the highest winning percentage [for a coach],” Jones told Telegraph Sport. "It was probably time to change, the RFU decided it was, so be it.

“But the interesting thing is the team hasn’t improved. We made a final in 2019 and got beat in a semi-final in 2023.

“For me, if I have a fault about my coaching, and like everyone you do, I always want a team that can win the World Cup. I’m not interested in a team that can compete at a World Cup. I wanted to make an England team that needed to be able to be a bit more than they are at the moment.

“I think Steve has done a fantastic job, a really good job. He has gone back to bread and butter English rugby, but I was trying to move it past that, and I failed, mate. But I would rather do that, than not do it.”

Jones added that England are missing that extra something that South Africa have that makes the Springboks able to play such direct rugby so effectively.

“When you are playing that really attritional sort of rugby, you have to have some x-factor in your kick return, the rest of your play,” he said. “Look at South Africa.

“Their forwards don’t pass, they run hard, their backs kick. But then they have brilliant counter-attackers in [Cheslin] Kolbe, Arendse, Willie le Roux is a smart player. They have something a little bit different about them.

“That’s what I was searching for with England, a little bit of difference. Where you get that bad kick and you can go on it, you make them pay.

“In the end England did a lot right; they ground, they were tough. They just did not have enough points in them. You need to be able to counter-attack. When you are playing that hard, tough rugby, you need it.”

The 63-year-old also lifted the lid on his second spell in charge of Australia that ended shortly after a first-ever World Cup group stage exit.

Jones came under heavy criticism during a nine-month tenure leading his home nation that returned just two wins from nine games. He insists, however, that he is “happy” with his efforts with the Wallabies following his resignation.

“I gave it a red-hot go, and if people want to f****** blame me they can do,” Jones added. “If you are not producing a winning team for 20 years, then it is not the coach, right? It’s the system. The system needs to change.

“I chose to take on a difficult job, a difficult job with certain conditions. When those conditions haven’t been met, I’ve chosen not to continue with the job.

“If people want to blame me for everything, that’s OK. I can’t control that. The only thing I know is what I’ve done, and I’m happy with what I’ve done.

“I’m not happy with the results, but I’m happy with what I’ve done.”

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