JUST WHEN IT looked like English Rugby was finally starting to find some stability, a series of high-profile departures have raised questions about what exactly is going on behind the scenes in Steve Borthwick’s set-up.
First, the RFU lost highly-rated athletic coach Aled Walters to Andy Farrell’s Ireland, before news emerged over the weekend of Felix Jones’ shock departure less than a year after joining from South Africa.
After England’s run to last year’s World Cup semi-finals and an encouraging end to the 2024 Six Nations, the upheaval shocked Borthwick’s players. Walters was with England for just 19 Tests, while Jones lasted only eight.
While Walters walked away with a new challenge lined up, Jones’ next destination remains unknown. The 42 understands Jones’ contract with the RFU contains a 12-month notice period, but it is not yet clear if he will be expected to see that out.
Should he be available to take on a new job, he will be in high demand.
Jones was already making waves in the coaching world while working in the Irish system, but since moving abroad in 2019, his stock has skyrocketed.
The Seapoint clubman played a pivotal role in South Africa’s coaching set-up as the Springboks won back-to-back World Cups in 2019 and 2023.
Having initially joined Rassie Erasmus’ team to do analysis on opposition teams, Jones soon moved into a more influential role, delivering tactical presentations to players and providing a trusted soundboard to Erasmus and his right-hand man, Jacques Nienaber.
South Africa players praised Jones’ influence, and when it was announced he would be leaving the Springboks after the 2023 World Cup, England’s success in securing his services appeared a real coup.
However Jones’ time with England has come to a premature end, with The Times reporting the former Ireland international had become “unhappy with an unstable working environment.”
His next move will be fascinating, and the IRFU will surely be keen to get Jones back into the Irish system.
Joe Schmidt was a big admirer of Jones during his playing days and when his career was cut short due to a neck injury in 2015, he soon stepped into the coaching world by joining Munster as a technical coach.
He quickly climbed the ranks at Thomond Park and by the time Erasmus left the province to take over at South Africa in 2017, Jones had already taken on many of his coaching duties.
Jones joined Ronan O’Gara and Girvan Dempsey as assistant coaches on Ireland’s 2017 tour to the USA and Japan and when he later turned down a new contract offer with Munster, the IRFU offered him a number of unspecified roles in a bid to keep him involved in Irish Rugby.
Now, they might have a chance to finally get him back on board.
With Farrell set to miss next year’s Six Nations as he prepares to lead the Lions in Australia, there could be room for Jones to step into the Ireland coaching team. Simon Easterby is expected to be Ireland’s interim head coach during Farrell’s absence and so there may be an opening for Jones to join as defence coach.
There is also the high possibility of Jones working with the Lions next summer, with Farrell yet to finalise his coaching team.
A role with one of the provinces could also be tempting, but opportunites look few and far between.
Leinster are well stocked with Jacques Nienaber heading into his second season as senior coach, overseeing the province’s defence, while Tyler Bleyendaal has been hired to replace Andrew Goodman as attack coach.
Looking a little higher up the ladder, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is heading into the final year of his latest contract, and in an interview with Off The Ball this week suggested he still holds ambitions of working at international level while adding: “You can’t plan too far ahead in this business.”
Elsewhere, Munster’s coaching team is settled, Ulster have just appointed a new head coach in Richie Murphy while Pete Wilkins remains in situ at Connacht despite a challenging first season in the hot seat. The IRFU could do worse than appoint Jones to an advisory/part-time role with one of the provinces before moving him into the Ireland senior set-up.
Otherwise, there is always the possibility of Erasmus, who was saddened to lose Jones last year, inviting him back to the Springboks, although the opportunity of working closer to his Dublin home was said to be a key reason in Jones’ decision to join England.
Given his record, Jones will also surely attract interest from other Test nations and clubs.
Yet having let Jones slip from their grasp previously, the IRFU will be at pains to avoid it happening again.
