Eddie Jones admits his influence on England will not be truly felt until year three of his reign as coach.
Jones replaced Stuart Lancaster in the wake of last autumn’s World Cup calamity and will be at the helm until Japan 2019, after which he is expected to step down having groomed an English successor.
Victories over Scotland and Italy in the Six Nations have given his stewardship a promising start, but the Australian believes his influence will really be felt around 2018.
“I’m hoping we’ll see the best of this team against Ireland on Saturday, but whether that happens or not, I’m not sure,” Jones said.
“You are always hoping it’s going to happen next week. Sometimes it happens in three weeks, sometimes it takes three years, you don’t know.
“Generally speaking, you look at most teams around the world when a coach takes over, the first year you are coaching the previous coach’s team – that’s the reality.
“The second year, you can change it by 50 per cent, the third year you can change it by 80 per cent. Which means, by the third year, it’s your team.
“Now that’s where you should be at your best. The third and fourth years are the years you get your maximum.”
Jones was present at Twickenham Stoop on Friday night to see Manu Tuilagi make his comeback from the hamstring strain that has kept him out for three weeks, having played only two matches since his return from a long-term groin issue.
The 24-year-old wrecking ball centre completed Leicester’s 25-19 defeat by Harlequins and while his power helped set-up the Tigers’ try, he was also at fault for the score that decided the match.
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill insists Tuilagi is not ready to play against Wales on March 12 – the game in which Jones plans to use him – and a discussion will be held between club and country.
“I’ll speak to Richard and we’ll work it out from there,” Jones said.
Jake
Guest
"How many Australians do you think would make that World 15?" More then england. "How many Australians would make the second 15?" More than england. "How many hopeless English players would challenge that second 15?" None.
R2D2
Guest
Building a team,not to rely on one or two World 15 players, have a plan, establish a core of players, play to your strengths, trust and look out for one another......Eddie should just shut the hell up and work with his team, the rest will come,the results and maybe a few World 15 players ,if you are lucky. NB , to your first question...maybe one at best.
Ken
Guest
Tualagi and Hartley would have gone close, but they didn`t select them..hahahahahahahahaha.. Dopey Pommies
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
How many Australians do you think would make that World 15? How many Australians would make the second 15? How many hopeless English players would challenge that second 15? If you were really impartial, I don't think you'd find a world of difference.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
It worries me that people like you, clearly having been brought up on a diet of your own media, as a consequence lose any ability at all to realise you are fed a daily diet of 'heroes' 'legends' and 'night of nights', with out even realising the incongruity and ridiculousness of it all - and then throw rocks at others (smiley face). I really would encourage you to listen to the 20 minute segment masquerading as 'national and world news' on just about any Australian channel and then reassess what's really important and news worthy. You've no idea what I'm talking about, have you .....
Lara
Guest
Jones is right that his current players would not make a World 15 , not even one but wait 4 years and that will change. 4 years is a long time and Jones will unearth these new players and all will see his greatest . The man is a genius and this current England team is hopeless but it is not his fault , so don't expect to much, just wait and all will see his master plan unfold. I wonder how his current cattle think of him, probably not much.
Joe Wood
Roar Rookie
He is already locked in on a four year contract and has said he will not stay beyond that as he is too old!
Ken
Guest
Bad influence ?? hahaha ...Keep the pommies hopes up eddie then let them crash and burn like you did the Wallabies and REDS...
Squirrel
Guest
Sounds like Matt Williams 10 year plan. He was useless gone straight away. Eddie just looks after Eddie, he would not give a hoot about England
Lroy
Guest
You know, when they forced Khruschev out, he sat down and wrote two letters to his successor. He said - "When you get yourself into a situation you can't get out of, open the first letter, and you'll be safe. When you get yourself into another situation you can't get out of, open the second letter". Well, soon enough, this guy found himself into a tight place, so he opened the first letter. Which said - "Blame everything on me". So he blames the old man, it worked like a charm. He got himself into a second situation he couldn't get out of, he opened the second letter. It said - "Sit down, and write two letters" Traffic 1998 Eddies an expert at this, look at his comments after he took over the Wallabies from Rod McQueen, we will train smarter , harder blah blah blah.... Nothing is ever his fault.. he always needs more time... crikey, he even took credit for the Aussie scrum when Deans was coaching, after Deans had gotten rid of all the blokes favored by Jones.... Eddie should have joined a corporation, with his ability to apportion failure to others, and take credit for other peoples successes, he would have been a whiz at one of our big 4 banks LOL
Taylorman
Guest
Yeah agree, oz were easily the second best side of 15. While Scotland had a moment, it also had some poor results before (and now since). And this is about trends under a new coach specifically. No side improved at the rate Oz did. If anything, bar Scotland and Argie, most went backwards, or retained a status quo.
Not Bothered
Guest
Yeah if they had lost to Wales...but they won so wtf are you talking about? Aus lost 2 games in 2015. Both against NZ. However they won against Eng, Arg, NZ, SA, Wal and were rightfully ranked 2nd in the world well ahead of SA who came last in the RC and lost to Japan at the WC after scraping in against Wales with a last minutes score after being behind heading into the final 5. Its hard not to feel for Scotland in that qtr final as it was against Wales last weekend. In both cases there was a blatent offside call that was ignored, it was actually far worse against Wales because they reviewed it and still didnt notice the try scorer was 5 metres offside.
Not Bothered
Guest
3 years!? Laying down the groundwork for excuses Eddie? I guess if they win the 6 nats it will be Lancasters coaching that got it for them until 2018.
Lara
Guest
Beginning of year 3 is about 20 test matches , that is a lot of test matches before u see his influence... I hope England has a lot of patience .
bigbaz
Roar Guru
3years to depower the English scrum, sounds about right.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Geez TM if Jones is right, we better be very careful next year (the 3rd year) when playing Cheika's Wallabies.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
haha! ... onya ben ... you just have to go, it will be all the sweeter when they win!
Tycoch
Guest
Let's be honest about RWC - without Joubert's reffing Australia would have gone out in the Quarter Finals. He bottled giving Wales a penalty try after Moore collapsed the scrum twice. Lose against Wales and you play Saffers then go home. But no you get soft option of Scotland who would have won but for Joubert
ben
Guest
Hurricanes were very average under Hammett. Chris Boyds 1st year he and Plumtree changed the culture and the results to top the table and make a home semi then home final (which we painfully lost). By the way...If we make the final again can someone remind me not to go..everytime the Canes or Wgtn lions make the final, i make the trip and we @#$/n lose.
Taylorman
Guest
Sounds logical. With the Blues we're on at least our forth coach to work on that premise after Nucifora, Lam and JK all said the same thing. Our 'third year' will be our thirteenth under Umaga. Jones' third year will be England's tenth waiting for results under Andrew, Johnstone, Lancaster and now Eddie if you call Ashton's side making the World cup final a success and ignore the one (grand slam less, triple crown less) six nations win in 2011 since 2003 so those sorts of comments can often be very misleading. By allowing the thought of a three year apprenticeship for me suggests the chance of procrastination creeping in. Compare that with Cheika's efforts over the last twelve months where he took the bull by the horns and accepted nothing but a World Cup victory in less than twelve months. The side he took over was also much worse off resource wise, disjointed and without very good results. He does seem to accept the three year thing is the 'reality'. But I think that only goes as far as player selections and identifying new talent, and nurturing them through. Culture, team environment, discipline etc are all things that can be a achieved in much shorter timeframes with much the same squad, Cheika is living proof of that. And of any side England are in just of much need of work in those areas.