'I played under Eddie Jones for England with Danny Care and his accusations are accurate'

Yesterday at 03:23 PM

Sir Clive Woodward has called on England's rugby stars to finally break their silence on Eddie Jones and his controversial tenure.

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Woodward, who famously led England to World Cup glory in 2003, didn't hold back, saying it's time for Rugby Football Union (RFU) bosses to be "held to account" for what went on under Jones.

Woodward pointed to former scrum-half Danny Care's bold comments about Jones’ "culture of fear" during his seven-year reign, which came to a swift end in 2022. "The comments made by former scrum-half Danny Care about what it was like to work as a player under ex-coach Eddie Jones show the culture of the England team has been way off the mark for a number of years. That has to change," Woodward wrote in his Daily Mail column.

Where's the RFU?

Woodward then set his sights on the RFU and current head coach Steve Borthwick, demanding answers. "Has anyone at the RFU asked [current coach Steve] Borthwick why that happened? They must do," he stated. For Woodward, Care's honest perspective highlights the need for more checks and balances to make sure the England setup is up to scratch. "To do so is only healthy. It holds the leaders of the organisation to account and ensures the highest possible standards are maintained," he added.

Alex Goode's take: "Lucky me, I made it into the book!"

Backing up Care's claims, ">Alex Goode joined the discussion on TalkSport, reflecting on his own experiences under Jones. Goode, who's set to retire at the end of the season, joked, "Lucky me, I made it into the book!" before taking a more serious tone. "I think Danny has actually spoken pretty fairly there," Goode said, acknowledging the mixed feelings players had about Jones.

"He pushed everyone hard" – Goode on Jones' impact

Despite their rocky relationship, Goode admitted Jones got results. "He was a brilliant coach in the sense he was the most successful England manager stats-wise," he said. Jones arrived after England's shocking World Cup group-stage exit and immediately pushed the squad to new heights, securing a Grand Slam in his first year, another Six Nations title, and taking England to the 2019 World Cup final.

But Goode acknowledged the downsides, noting how Jones' intense approach often drove staff away. "He obviously pushed people maybe too hard potentially. But he got the best out of a lot of players… and England were very successful," Goode added. "So while I don't necessarily agree with some of the way he treated people and how he spoke to people, he was obviously a very good coach and his record does speak for itself in that sense."

RFU Statement:

In response to Care's comments, the RFU issued a statement defending the environment under Jones's leadership. "The elite game is a high-performance environment, and we recognise the demands of this can be challenging which is why we offer a range of support services for players," a spokesperson said.

They further clarified, "During his time with England, there were no complaints made about Eddie Jones by players either to the RFU or via anonymous feedback surveys or through our confidential whistleblowing service.

"The RFU's confidential whistleblowing service which is for all players and staff, it is promoted every season, and we always investigate any concerns raised. We have been in contact with Danny Care, he has made it clear he doesn't want to take any formal action and that he also has high praise for Eddie in many areas of his book."

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