Eddie Jones’ England bubble appears to have burst, with the Red Rose enduring an extremely tough Six Nations tournament that will have given the Australian coach plenty to think about and a big headache ahead of a crucial run to the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
Prior to the 2018 Six Nations, England had suffered just one defeat under Jones, putting a miserable 2015 World Cup behind them to record back to back Six Nations crowns, as well as a series whitewash against Australia amongst other outstanding victories against Southern Hemisphere sides.
However, this year, England have suffered three defeats already, managing to win just two of their five Six Nations matches, with defeats to Scotland, France and Ireland leaving Jones’ side fifth in the table, with only the Italians exiting the competition with a worse record than the Grand Slam favourites.
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock…here is your 2018 #NatWest6Nations table!
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— NatWest 6 Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 18, 2018
A slight complacency seemed to have crept into England’s game, and whilst Jones’ recent focus has almost certainly shifted to the World Cup next year, the state his England side are coming out of the 2018 Six Nations in will be a major concern to the 58-year-old Australian.
Ireland’s Grand Slam victory in the Six Nations has seen their odds cut heading into the 2019 World Cup, although New Zealand still remain overwhelming favourites to win the tournament on the William Hill Rugby World Cup betting page, whilst England have drifted to 6/1 to win their first Webb Ellis Trophy since 2003.
From England’s point of view, having less expectation ahead of the World Cup could be a good thing, and whilst Jones would’ve liked to have seen a lot better from his squad during the Six Nations, surely he would rather see a slump in form now rather than when the major tournament comes around.
Changes will now be expected to be made to Jones’ playing squad, with plenty of the side that started the 24-15 defeat to Ireland at Twickenham likely to be in the firing line as England search for the right structure to go forward. One man who Jones will be pushing to get back to his fittest and best is Manu Tuilagi, who despite hardly featuring under Jones, is still the obvious candidate to give England’s backline some real attacking edge.
England’s problems in the back-row don’t need to be highlighted, as Jones will be well aware of changes that need to be made there. One other area of England’s side where Jones faces a big dilemma is at fly-half, where he has to decide whether to go forward with the axis of George Ford and Owen Farrell at 10 and 12 respectively, or go with the tactic used against Ireland, of Farrell in the main playmaking role and a ball carrier on his outside.
That is one of many questions Jones will have to answer following an abysmal Six Nations campaign, which has really taken the shine off what had been a magnificent start to his coaching career at Twickenham. England seem to have been coasting through to the 2019 World Cup, but now Jones will earn his money and will have to prove his England side can move forward between now and Japan.
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