Jamie George: England do not need Eddie Jones’ confrontational style to win

Jamie George believes that his England side do not need the confrontational style of Eddie Jones’ environment to enjoy success.

This week, almost two years since Jones was sacked as England head coach, memories of his tenure have resurfaced thanks to explosive revelations in Danny Care’s autobiography.

In it, Care brands Jones’ reign as “terrifying” and likens the period to a “dystopian novel” in which players and staff were treated cruelly and cast aside. However, there is also praise for the Australian’s coaching and his winning record with England, something that George was eager to stress at Pennyhill Park on Thursday.

“Everyone has their own experiences,” he said. “I lived it with Danny at the time, I knew how he felt about it. Eddie was someone who never wanted to sit still. He always wanted to get better, pushed people and it was challenging at times, of course it was, and I understand what Danny is saying.

“Equally, what [Care] says in his book, that Eddie was one of the best coaches he worked with, rings true. Eddie did brilliant things for English rugby. We got to a World Cup final and we probably live with regret that we didn’t win that. We won a Grand Slam, a couple more Six Nations. That is the sign of a good coach to me. You have got to reflect on the good times and the bad.”

Reinforcing the sentiments of Steve Borthwick, who succeeded Jones at the end of 2022, George believes the current set-up is far more positive.

Indeed, the 34-year-old used his own successes at Saracens to demonstrate that a high-performance team does not need to foster a harsh and unforgiving atmosphere to win trophies.

“Eddie was very clear in his ways and what I know is now we have got a much more inclusive environment in which we can challenge and accept and speak to all the members of staff,” George said. “I guess it hasn’t always been that way.”

“I don’t think necessarily there is always a cost to winning,” he added. “I don’t believe that. I have been part of teams that create really positive environments, Saracens being one of them.

“We have won some pretty big things and were very successful with a different way of viewing things and going about things. At the same time there is success both ways, it is dependent on the personnel at the time.”

Both George and Richard Wigglesworth, the England attack coach, argued that England did not surrender an “intent to play” in the final 20 minutes against New Zealand last weekend, despite suffering another late collapse to lose 24-22 from 22-14 ahead.

Across the final half-hour of their three most recent Test matches, all of them narrow defeats by the All Blacks, England have now scored a total of three points in 90 minutes.

Wigglesworth, who cited late penalties as the chief stumbling block on Saturday, explained that the inclusion of Ollie Sleightholme on a new-look bench could energise England when Australia visit Twickenham this weekend.

“We’re in this process of how we want to be with the ball and we are trying to develop a team that is more cohesive, that attacks really well, but knows how to win Test matches,” he said.

“All these things go into the melting pot as we learn. It would have been great if we had a couple of those experiences where they’ve learnt how to win instead of these feelings of ‘next time we need to do this’.

“But in terms of their drive and mentality and what they want to be like as a team, these boys, it’s pretty exciting. It’s not happened overnight and it was never going to, but I do feel like the group I’m really confident we’re going to get there. Their attitude is first class. We have pace, we have skill, but you’ve got to put it all together.”

With the Wallabies blooding code-hopper Joseph Sua’ali’i in his first game of professional rugby union, England will only have rugby league footage of Australia’s starting outside centre to analyse.

George and Wigglesworth both hailed a formidable athlete, declaring that Joe Schimdt, labelled “a fantastic coach”, would not be starting Sua’ali’i unless the 21-year-old was ready.

“There’s this element of the unknown,” admitted George. “But at the same time, we’ve got to make sure we’re as clued up as we possibly can be. And, you know, make sure that he knows what Test match rugby is all about.”