REACTION: Jones sacking divides rugby world - 'big mistake', 'fans didn't buy his hype', 'England in crisis', 'devil incarnate'

There has been a mixed reaction to the news that England have sacked Eddie Jones with some saying the coach got what he deserved while others believe it’s a big mistake to be making such a drastic move less than a year out from the World Cup.

Wallabies star Matt Giteau posted on Twitter before the news was official to say if Jones got the boot “it would have to be the silliest thing they could do to the English rugby team”. 

“He plans & plans & plans years in advance for this competition. It’s the one competition that he has got consistently right time and time again. Big mistake imo.”

Jones’ long-time critic, 2003 World Cup-winning Engand coach Sir Clive Woodward didn’t hold back, writing for The Daily Mail.

“What will Jones’s legacy be? The semi-final victory over New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup was his best performance but unfortunately, he will be remembered for the misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises.

“I don’t think history will remember this period of English rugby too kindly.”

“He became completely focused on the 2023 World Cup and that was a costly error. International rugby is very simple: focus everything on the next game with absolutely zero distractions. The fans who pump the money into the sport didn’t buy his hype.”

Jones, in the official RFU statement, said: “I am pleased with much that we have achieved as an England team and I look forward to watching the team’s performance in the future. Many of the players and I will no doubt keep in touch and I wish them all well in their future careers.”

RFU chief Bill Sweeney added: Sweeney said: “It is important to recognise the huge contribution Eddie has made to English rugby, winning three Six Nations Championships, one Grand Slam and taking us to a Rugby World Cup final.

“He has the highest win ratio of any previous England head coach and has helped develop the leadership skills of many players and coaches.

“I am grateful to Eddie for all he has done for England across many areas of the game and the professional way in which he has approached reviewing the performance of the team. He has provided the panel with astute insight and meaningful lessons that will support the team performance going forward.”

Ireland’s former coach Eddie O’Sullivan said England are now “in a crisis moment”.

“The players would have had to back him or not back him. They’re the guys who are playing for him and I always felt they did play for him.”

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

“I think he’s been tough on them but they’ve bought into him. So I think it would be a massive call. They don’t have a ready replacement. Getting rid of your head coach this close to a World Cup is a massive call.”

Former England centre Will Greenwood wrote in the UK Telegraph that he had mixed emotions about the decision.

“Eddie has been painted as the devil incarnate in some quarters but the truth is different. That spiky character is a front he puts up to the media, to the public,” he wrote.

“Eddie was an innovator. A workaholic who like all great leaders had an impressive attention to detail. 

“I’ve been at pretty much every England home game for the best part of 40 years. Rarely have I known apathy like there is at Twickenham now. I have mates who left at half-time in the recent game against South Africa. That is a damning indictment.”

Writing for The Times, their chief sports writer Owen Slot queried why Jones was the only person to pay the price for the under-performing team.

(Photo by Alex Davidson – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

“If this assessment of the national team is undertaken with any rigour, they cannot possibly leave it at that. They need to acknowledge that if Jones was at fault, then to what extent were his bosses at the RFU at fault too?

“The RFU needs to ask: how did we get it so wrong? Why did we not act earlier? Should we not have seen the danger a long way off? Did we look after our employees? Did we give the England team the best chance of fulfilling their potential? Did we even govern responsibly? And, actually, have we had our heads in the sand?”

Former Wales captain Sam Warburton said in The Times that England should have pulled the trigger earlier to land Warren Gatland after he signed earlier this week with the Welsh Rugby Union.

“It is a good move by the Welsh Rugby Union. It has acted swiftly and decisively. For England, I think it is a real opportunity missed if they are going to part company with Eddie Jones,” Warburton said.