Eddie Jones begins planning for next year’s World Cup in France with a game against the Six Nations leaders at Stade de France this weekend.
Jones said yesterday: “If I did not have the petrol in the tank then why would I be sitting here,” and has repeatedly talked of his New England project, insisting his side would come good by the World Cup next year. He claimed England were just 3% from where they wanted to be and urged disillusioned supporters to keep faith in him.
“They’ve got to have some faith,” he said.
“I think I’ve done a reasonable job for England for the past seven years. We’re going through a period now where we’re rebuilding the team and it takes time. We’ve rebuilt the side from the last Six Nations.
“I think the progress is very positive. The results aren’t the results we’d like – we’d all like to be winning tournaments and be at the top of the table, but we’re not quite good enough to do that now. But within the next 12 to 14 months when we prepare for the World Cup, we will be.
“There are areas of our game we need to improve and there is about probably a 3% gap between where we are and where we need to be.”
JONES NAILED-ON WORLD CUP STARTERS:
#1. Ellis Genge
- Age: 27
- Club: Leicester Tigers
- Position: Prop
“Ellis will tell you that he is from the wrong side of the tracks and we’re quite happy for him to stay on the wrong side of them,” Jones said.
“Can he take a formal leadership role? There’s no reason why he can’t, whether that’s in the future, or now.”