England coach Eddie Jones has a novel solution to the question of who should captain the British and Irish Lions on their tour of New Zealand this year – make it a four-man job.
Several names are in the frame to be given the leading role by Lions coach Warren Gatland, including England skipper Dylan Hartley and Ireland’s fellow hooker Rory Best, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and Scotland’s scrum-half Greig Laidlaw.
Yet Jones, whose England side suffered their first loss in his 18 matches in charge against Ireland on Saturday, said that such was the enormity of the 10-match tour, which features three Tests, that a new approach should be tried.
“I know what I would do. I would take the captains of the four nations, pool them together and make that the leadership group,” Jones said.
“The Lions is such a prestigious tour. I would have those four guys lead the team and after the first five (warm-up) games I would pick the first Test and whoever was the leading player of those four I would make the captain for the first Test.”
The Lions face a brutal schedule with matches against Super Rugby heavyweights Blues, Crusaders and Highlanders.
“I would have a tour leadership group and a specific captain for each Test,” Jones said.
“You look at the last Lions tour and Sam Warburton captained the first two and Alan Wyn Jones captained the third so I think you can separate it.
“It would be different but I would reckon you would get a great result with those four captains running the team for you and making sure they set the standards on and off the field.”
While the focus switches to the Lions tour in the summer, Jones admitted he was already missing the daily contact with his England players after they fell one short of setting a new world record 19-match winning streak and a second successive Six Nations Grand Slam when going down 13-9 to Ireland in Dublin.
He admitted he was “racing the clock” as he tried to build the necessary “on-pitch” leadership to win the World Cup in Japan in 2019, saying that England still fell short.
“For whatever reason we didn’t respond to the pressure of the situation on Saturday,” Jones said.
“A number of players struggled and they’ll learn so much from that.
“We don’t have the density right now to win a World Cup. I think you need about nine players who are absolutely self-reliant, who don’t need to be told what to do.
“We have maybe five, but you need nine because then you have a tipping point where if you don’t join the strength of the team you get left out. We don’t quite have and it will take time to develop.”
Lara
Guest
Hello , anybody home.
Highlander
Guest
Interesting that the 4 suggested are far from being locked in starters...any of them
puff
Guest
Leopards can change countries but not its spots, Eddie enjoys carrying verbal baggage. England has had a great couple of seasons but now its Gatlands time to shine. This is not Gatlands first Lions rodeo, hence I would think identifying a possible captain started last year. Eddie’s pestiferous one-liners must be an irritant to Gatland particular the statement about his world record English team should make up the bulk of available positions.
Gewurtz
Guest
EJ cannnot keep his trap shut, can he? He will snipe at Gatland as often as he can.
Derm
Roar Guru
You'd swear Eddie was running the Lions tour. For a guy who declined to put his name forward for consideration, saying he'd be too busy with England's tour to Argentina, he's got an awful lot to say what Gatland should be doing. Cotter, Schmidt and Howley have said little or nothing and let Gatland get on with his task. At some point, someone is going to tell Jones to shut his trap and get on with his own job.
Hello Everybody.ï
Guest
Its not dumb. Its genius. First is to take the 4 captains, make them the leadership group. OK so far. Then its to use captains for individual tests....oh thats outrageous! No, it isnt. It means theres no infighting due to the perception of bias. It means a more united team and a greater sense of working as one for the greater good. "Youre all important" would be the perception. Its a team thats together for 3 tests. Its not the usual scenario. I think its very smart and considering they chopped and changed captains throughout the last tour... Very smart imo.
The Saint
Roar Guru
Agreed Sheek. A very dumb suggestion. Surely, Eddie can not be serious
R2D2
Guest
The Lions tour has not even started , but by the end of the Lions tour , Gatland would will be so "EddieOut" by that windbag, that he wish he never took on the job....even if he wins.
sheek
Roar Guru
That is just such a dumb suggestion. Almost as bad as SCW's cast of thousands in 2005, which proved a total disaster.
Dingo McNumbat
Roar Rookie
All the way with AWJ. Also, Greg Laidlaw? Would you really go with him over Rhys Webb and Connor Murray?
Old Bugger
Guest
Where's TM - mate, you hinted that EJ would find it so hard, now that 6N is done and dusted, to keep himself in the headlines.....?? Well bugger me.....he's certainly showing how hard it is, isn't he.......haha??