Rugby Union: Eddie Jones addresses England breakdown with head of referees

Eddie Jones has held talks with the Rugby Football Union’s head of referees in an effort to solve England’s breakdown woes after a run of five defeats in six Test matches. Jones met Tony Spreadbury earlier this month to request the way the breakdown is refereed in the Premiership is brought closer into line with the international game.

England’s breakdown problems were evident in Six Nations defeats by Scotland, France and Ireland as well as on the summer tour of South Africa. Jones identified as much after losing to France but claimed it would take until next year to find a solution. “[The breakdown is] a sizeable but fixable problem,” Jones said in March. “We can address it and keep getting better at it, but the reality is that we probably won’t get better at it until the World Cup.”

Jones has previously suggested it is a problem of interpretation with the Pro14 and Super Rugby allowing for more of a contest at the breakdown and therefore better preparing England’s rivals for the international stage. With Nigel Owens in charge of last year’s Calcutta Cup match, Scotland comprehensively outgunned England, whose players are more likely to be penalised when contesting a Premiership breakdown.

Until now Jones has been reluctant to try to influence the Premiership to the benefit of his side, insisting he does not have the jurisdiction. Instead Jones has sought outside help and brought in the South African referee Marius van der Westhuizen to take charge during training sessions.

Jones’s meeting with Spreadbury, who oversees the Premiership’s pool of referees, suggests a more diplomatic approach with the new season getting under way on Friday. Spreadbury said Jones “wants a contest”, adding: “That’s the point he was saying to me, that if we can have a contest that will be great for us. I said: ‘That’s fine’ but we are going to referee the laws of the game. He accepts that and it’s also seeing how the players react this weekend and whether they are any different in their approach in how they want to play the breakdown.

“I have had discussions with the England coach and heard what his views are. Fundamentally, we are refereeing the laws about clearing the breakdown area, especially the tackler, we are harsh on the tackler. We want to encourage a contest. It is up to the players whether they put one player in or two players in this coming season.”