Steve Borthwick is the current favourite to succeed Eddie Jones as England boss, though continues to distance himself from questions surrounding the job as he focuses on upcoming games with Leicester Tigers; Jones was sacked last week after England’s disappointing 2022 campaign
Last Updated: 12/12/22 11:20am
Owen Farrell says Eddie Jones is one of the best coaches he’s worked with
England captain Owen Farrell feels the decision to sack Eddie Jones as head coach was “unbelievably disappointing”.
Australian Jones was sacked on Tuesday after overseeing England’s worst year of results since 2008.
Leicester’s director of rugby Steve Borthwick is favourite to succeed Jones, whose seven-year England reign came to an end just nine months before the 2023 World Cup – and with the Six Nations campaign set to start in February.
Farrell believes Jones – who had taken the team to the 2019 World Cup final – should not shoulder all of the blame.
Speaking to BBC Sport following Saracens’ Heineken Champions Cup win over Edinburgh on Sunday, fly-half Farrell said: “It’s unbelievably disappointing.
“Eddie had been a big part of England rugby for a long time now and he has been one of the best coaches I have ever had so, for that, I’m massively thankful.
Leicester director of rugby Steve Borthwick has refused to comment on speculation linking him to becoming England’s new head coach
“We are disappointed it has finished early and we owe a lot to him.
“I have been around for a while now and not been around too many changes, both at club and international level. It’s not pleasant to go through.
“I don’t think it has come from the players. There is obviously stuff we all want to get better at from the results, but as players you look at yourself and see what you can do.”
Former England international James Haskell questions the timing of the decision to sack Eddie Jones as head coach but adds that Steve Borthwick would be the perfect replacement
Borthwick has so far refused to comment on links to the England job and instead underlined his continued focus on Leicester’s upcoming Champions Cup games.
The Rugby Football Union is believed to be negotiating compensation with Leicester over the release of the 43-year-old to become Jones’ replacement, Tigers having insisted they would not stand in the way of Borthwick were the England job to present itself.
