Bill Sweeney, chief executive of Rugby Football Union, says he was disappointed by England’s Six Nations. However, he still supports Eddie Jones.
Although Jones was urged to resign, Sweeney insists that he is the right man to lead England to the 2023 World Cup.
Sweeney stated that the RFU had to be more “upfront” following defeat by France.
England was unable to win the second Six Nations tournament in succession, and ended up third due to favorable results elsewhere.
Sweeney stated that the RFU’s initial reaction to England’s results was genuine.
“Really disappointed, hugely frustrated. We should have stated that more on Saturday. Yes, possibly, and also acknowledging the disappointment of fans.
“We are all deeply disappointed in what happened this past year at the Six Nations.
“You’d expect more of England and we demand even more in terms both of our results, and our performance. It has been very emotional. It feels very raw.
Jones holds a ‘absolute conviction of players’
England scored eight tries in their five tournament games, fewer than the 12 scored by 2021.
Following Saturday’s vote, Jones was backed by the RFU 25-13 defeatGrand Slam champions France. He said he was building “a new England squad”, with young stars like Harry Randall and Freddie Steward.
Monye criticized the statement of the governing body BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union WeeklySweeney stated that “winning two this year in comparison to winning two last years is not progress.” That’s fair criticism.
“But, in terms of how the team feels progressing and how the team’s developing in the context to where we want to go, it seems we’re headed in the right direction. We were therefore okay with that statement.”
Sweeney stated that Jones has “the absolute belief, commitment and passion of the players and that we believe he is the right guy for us to get through this.”
Sweeney stated, “We’ll keep reviewing as we go,”
“Do we have the right setup? Are we in the right organization? Do we have the right organisation or are we ludicrous?
“Whenever we have had this conversation, we always come out on the side that ‘no’. We think we are moving in the right direction, as we transition and rebuild this team.”
“We love the Six Nations”
Jones was also criticised for saying that England’s Six Nations defeats were a learning opportunity for younger players as they work towards the World Cup.
Sam Warburton, a former captain of the British and Irish Lions, believed that this approach was disrespectful to the Six Nations.
Sweeney stated, “We go into every tournament hoping to win”, but added that: “In international Rugby, you’ve got the balance of winning matches and developing the team.”
“You’ll often hear people talk about development’ or progress, but it’s not meant to be or intended to be to the detriment or benefit of the current competition that you are playing in. The Six Nations are very important to us.
