Appearing at the Six Nations launch in London this morning, England coach Eddie Jones is sporting a heavy shiner.
The Australian later wore a medical dressing over his left temple to cover the large gash on his eye socket as he spoke at the Six Nations media launch on Wednesday.
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Jones revealed the wounds were not a result of some over-enthusiastic participation with his players on the training field but rather after an accident at his Sunningdale home – he slipped and fell in his bathroom.
“It’s about awareness,” he said at the Six Nations launch on Wednesday. “You have to be more diligent at being better at tackle technique
England begin the defence of their crown as they do battle with France at Twickenham on Saturday, February 4 after having gone through the entirety of 2016 undefeated.
Early Six Nations casualty for England… Eddie Jones! 😱pic.twitter.com/asOwSgpuuj
— ESPN Scrum (@espnscrum) January 25, 2017.
“There is nothing different in the game. It is always been illegal to attack the head of opposition. All World Rugby have said is if you touch the opposition player’s head then there’s going to be a penalty or yellow card or red card.”
He added: “You put speed cameras in and what happens, you get hundreds of people getting a fine. 12 months later those fines have decreased. It will be the same with this tackle situation. In the next three months there’s going to be cards until players learn to be within the speed limit. We’ll get there and when that happens, like most of the roads, then it becomes a safer place to play rugby and that’s what we want.”
Jones revealed he was pleased with their training camp in the Algarve, especially their “hit-out” which saw hooker Hartley prove his fitness.
“I’ve been really impressed by the players,” he added. “There is a good mix of people who have been there before and those who are trying to make their mark. The attitude has been first class.
“We had a training run on Monday which was more organisational and then on Tuesday we had a hit-out and that was an excellent session.”