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AUSTRALIA centre Samu Kerevi says the controversy over former England coach Eddie Jones’ management style may be down to cultural differences between sets of players.
Jones, who coached England to three Six Nations titles and a Rugby World Cup final between 2016 and 2022, was criticised by former England scrum-half Danny Care over the weekend.
In book excerpts serialised by the Times,, external Care described Jones overseeing a “toxic environment”, in which the Australian would belittle and berate players and staff.
“I wouldn’t say terrifying,” said 31-year-old Kerevi of working under Jones. “It’s how you take it. I grew up in a different culture to what it is now in rugby.
“I’ve got a good relationship with Eddie. I think he puts pressure, not just on the players, but the staff.
“I think that’s what Danny Care’s talking about, but again, it’s how you receive it. Whether you thrive under it.”
Kerevi was part of an Australia side which failed to make it out of the pool stages of the 2023 Rugby World Cup during Jones’ second stint in charge of his native country. He was also coached by 64-year-old Jones at Japanese club Tokyo Sungoliath.
Jones continued his consultancy work with the side throughout his time with England.
Care himself says that Jones’ methods worked, in the short-term at least.
“I stand by the fact – and I say it in the book – that Eddie is still the best coach that I have ever worked with,” he told Rugby Union Weekly.
“He gave me some of the greatest memories of my rugby career – that came at a price.
“Maybe it had to be that way to get the success that we had. Maybe you have to go through some really tough times, and be that driven, and there be that much pressure, to get that.
“But I don’t think that can last forever, there is a timeline in that and it came to a period where it was too much for us as players and you saw a bit of a downward spiral.”
Jones won his first 17 games in charge of England, but was sacked in December 2022 after only five victories from 12 matches in his final year in charge.
He ended with a 73% win percentage, better than Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward.
“Players just aren’t pushed hard enough to become their best,” Jones added at the time. “Not because of where they come from, but because of the environment they’re in.
“In England, there is the comfortability of the clubs; they can survive at the clubs just being a player and they’re not pushed to go to the next level.”
Care also claimed that Saracens playmaker Alex Goode, who won only four caps under Jones, was exiled from the England set-up after a disagreement with the coach.
“We saw Alex Goode, European player of the year, come in and have a slight disagreement between him, the physios and Eddie, a slight miscommunication and he was never seen again,” added Care.
“It was crazy. And the players see that.
“Eddie was so unbelievably powerful, he could define your career – you could get one cap, say the wrong thing and never be seen again.”
Jones is now head coach of Japan, who play England on 24 November. – BBCSport
A.I
Nov. 5, 2024
Tags: Alex Goode Samu Kerevi
