'I had an interesting start to my life with Eddie. During the World Cup he publicly slated me'
England head coach Eddie Jones has been called “the best man manager I’ve ever worked with,” by former captain Chris Robshaw.
After five years in charge of England, a decision is yet to be made over the Australian’s future after his side’s fifth place finish in the Guinness Six Nations.
But Robshaw has said he “will always be grateful” to Jones for giving him a second opportunity after thinking his international career was over following England’s pool stage exit from the 2015 World Cup.
The 66-cap former England flanker also said he “had a huge amount of respect” for Jones because of his honest approach.
“I think Eddie Jones is the best man manager I’ve ever worked with,” he said on RugbyPass Offload alongside Christina Mahon and Jamie Roberts.
“It’s the little things that people probably take for granted, it’s stuff like in a normal time where we’ll all be in a breakfast room mixing, he’d walk in and acknowledge every single person in the room.
“Also he treats them differently. For someone like myself he was always very honest, we’d have chats and that kind of thing. Someone like a James Haskell who’s a bit of a larger than life character, they would literally take the mick out of each other all day. And that would get the best out of him. Someone like a Jonny May, he gave him responsibility and empowered him and that helped make him the player he is. I think there are things where he does treat people differently and he does test people, but he tests them to see if they’re up to international rugby. That’s what he’s about, he’s about making players better and ready to play international rugby.
“I had an interesting start to my life with Eddie. During the [2015] World Cup he publicly came out and slated me a bit and I, in all honesty, didn’t think I’d play for England again after that. After that we had a good sit down chat, we had a drink together, we sat down for about an hour and a half and we got to know each other. He said “go away and work on these things, and if you can there’ll be a place for you in my team.” I went away and worked on it and he said “yes, there’s a place for you in my team but not as captain.” I was like thank God, I’m looking forward to it. It’s almost like it was a second life for me. I will always be grateful to Eddie for giving me that second opportunity.
“He was always very honest with me. I never tried to muck me around. I remember he dropped me for one of the South Africa games and he said “you’re just not playing as well as you normally do,” and you can’t really argue with that because I wasn’t. I think with that I had a huge amount of respect for him.
“I will always be a bit gutted that he didn’t take me to the next World Cup and a bit resentful for that, but in saying that I’m grateful he gave me a second shot to play for my country.
“When I look at that [2019 World Cup] squad now and I look at the impact both [Tom] Curry and [Sam] Underhill had and you can’t argue with it.”
Latest Comments
In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..
If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.
My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.
ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.
Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.
Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.
It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.
So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.
After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.
Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.
Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.
Go to commentsI agree what a load of crap! The ABs are elite sportsmen and ALL sportsmen want to challenge themselves against the best. And where better than Eden Park - some say that is our fortress. Well the ABs will relish the chance to build on that notion I am sure.
Go to comments