Members of the England playing squad have been invited to share their thoughts on their dismal Six Nations campaign as part of the RFU‘s own review, with Eddie Jones‘ position as head coach up for debate.
Jones is expected to learn the outcome of the review next week when the RFU will complete its review of England’s fifth-place finish in the 2021 Six Nations.
Led by chief executive Bill Sweeney, the review will encompass playing and coaching staff with Jones himself commencing his own review on Sunday following the 32-18 defeat to Ireland in Dublin to conclude a tournament, which saw England also lose to Scotland and Wales for the first time in 46 years.
Jones will report back him findings to Sweeney and RFU director of performance Conor O’Shea, and a select number of former England players brought in by Sweeney.
It is only the second time England have finished fifth in the tournament, leading to England falling to fourth in the World Rugby rankings. A break clause in Eddie Jones’ contract, the most lucrative in Test rugby for a head coach, will ensure his payout should the RFU choose to part company would not be as damaging to their financial state.
The Australian signed an extension with the RFU last year through to the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, worth £750,000, prior to Jones, Sweeney and other senior figures at the RFU taking salary cuts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
18 months after reaching the Rugby World Cup final, Jones has come in for fierce criticism for England’s style of play and selection despite winning last year’s Six Nations and the Autumn Nations Cup.
England players will now be able to delve into the reasons why their Six Nations campaign produced such troubling results in behind-closed-doors talks.
It is standard practice for Six Nations and Test series to be reviewed, with 27 of England’s 32 players saying their experience of the 2019 Rugby World Cup was ‘overwhelmingly positive’.
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