The wizard from Oz’s early highs seem a long time ago, with staff worn down and stodgy rugby failing to appease fans
Sometimes it is the small things that betray the real story. There we were last Saturday week, in the subterranean depths of Twickenham’s vast West Stand, listening to Eddie Jones explaining away England’s latest sub-par performance. To his right, as ever, was his faithful Australian lieutenant Neil Craig, hired specifically to help Jones to cope with such tricky situations. Even a weary-looking Craig, on this occasion, had his head in his hands.
The other giveaway was the remarkable online outburst last week by David Pembroke, Jones’s long-time media guru, in the comments section on the Times Sport website. “Pemby” was alleging the Rugby Football Union itself had been briefing against Jones and publicly referred to the RFU’s chief executive, Bill Sweeney, as “slippery”. If there was a slim chance of Jones batting on into 2023 it probably vanished right there, despite Pembroke’s subsequent apology.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/06/from-magician-to-misfit-where-it-all-went-wrong-for-eddie-jones under the title “From magician to misfit: where it all went wrong for Eddie Jones | Robert Kitson”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
