'He's actually very funny' NRL coach praises time spent with Eddie Jones

Fact-finding or personal development trips are becoming part-and-parcel of the modern day professional coaching experience, visiting successful sporting organisations across the world in the search validation or learning.

For Melbourne Storm head coach Craig Bellamy, his latest off-season included a four-day stint inside England’s camp during the November Internationals. The multiple NRL premiership-winning coach had plenty of takeaways from his visit, including a different take on Eddie Jones outside of his media personality.

“I know at times people can get a bad wrap or a reputation through the media – things can get a bit warped – but one thing I’ve always said is I will take people as I find them,” Bellamy told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“Through the time we spent over there I found he was very measured, very well prepared and a really personable guy.

“He was all business and switched on when he needed to be but then there were times where he would show his sense of humour as well – and you could tell the players like that about him.

“He’s actually very funny – he has a really good sense of humour and I found he always had time for a little bit of fun.”

“We always bring something back and that was no different after spending time with Eddie.

“He was very engaging to speak to but more importantly, very engaging with his players and his staff.”

Bellamy watched on from the stands in England’s coaching box as they fell one point short of the All Blacks, another side which he has spent time with during their 2016 visit to Chicago.

“He was very technical and clearly put a lot of time into the preparation,” Bellamy said of Jones’ game-planning for the blockbuster clash.

“We spent time with the All Blacks a couple of times – they were great learning experiences – and this was the same.”

“Sometimes we have been to places and got a whole heap out of it, sometimes we don’t get a lot from them but there is always something that we’ve been able to take back to the club.

“This was one of the ones where we took plenty from it.

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