Eddie Jones under scrutiny, Wales and Ireland settling into new management regimes, and a fragile French renaissance?After Ciara and Dennis comes storm Eddie? After England overwhelmed New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final the Six Nations seemed a breeze for them, with four teams under new management and Gregor Townsend’s Scotland looking inwards. But it is England’s head coach who is under the most scrutiny after two rounds.Jones’s contract ends in 2021, at the midway point between World Cups, and the sight of Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s Japan 2019-winning coach, at Murrayfield last Saturday was another cause for speculation. Jones’s side’s meek opening in Paris after the Australian’s bellicose buildup was followed by a narrow win in appropriately stormy conditions...
Ireland will head to Twickenham in two weeks full of confidence after defeating Wales 24-14 in DublinThree games into the new era, and Andy Farrell’s Ireland are playing for a Triple Crown. They will travel to Twickenham in a fortnight, where Farrell will send out his boys in search of the prize against his homeland, his former employers – against his son. The narrative is delicious.In the end, Storm Ciara did the right thing, holding off for just long enough to allow the home team to whip up enough turbulence themselves. In so doing, they saw off a Wales team embarking on new journeys of their own. Ciara’s stiffening winds could only assail the high south walls of the Aviva....
Eddie Jones made a selection mistake, Ireland count the cost of their bruising win and Wales start the post-Gatland era brightlyHowever Eddie Jones hoped England’s back row was going to go, it didn’t. The decision to pick Tom Curry out of position to cover for Billy Vunipola cost them twice over, because it meant they didn’t get the best out of their star flanker and also lacked a real ball-carrying threat at No 8. He has options, since Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam are both in the squad and can cover the position, but given that he could have had one of Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds, or Nathan Hughes playing there instead it might be time to admit he got...
England may be the pre-tournament favourites, but France in Paris is a tricky first hurdle for Eddie Jones’s sideEngland’s World Cup seemed to be judged on the no-show in the final against South Africa, the manner in which they overwhelmed Australia and New Zealand in the previous rounds largely forgotten. They had one of the youngest teams in the tournament with Eddie Jones changing direction a year out from Japan and jettisoning some of his more seasoned players. The result was that they played with greater pace, if not invention, and at last had a complementary back row. Related: Andy Farrell at home with Ireland and prepares to lean on career mentors Related: Gregor Townsend says ‘door is open’ for...
South Africa’s World Cup winning captain is one of six uplifting figures to receive awards from the Rugby Union Writers’ ClubIn central London on Monday night the assembled cast of almost 500 guests was a typically eclectic one. It always is at the annual Rugby Union Writers’ Club dinner, where no writing occurs and the dining can be a secondary concern. Sandwiched into the bleak no-man’s-land between Christmas and the Six Nations, flicking two defiant fingers at dry January, it is a reliable test of both character and stamina.In addition to the camaraderie this year’s list of award winners was especially uplifting. The main Pat Marshall Award for the individual who has made the greatest impact on rugby in the...