In an unexpected turn of events, Felix Jones has submitted his resignation as England’s defence coach, bringing about another shakeup to Steve Borthwick’s support team. Jones, who had made significant contributions to England’s rugby team since his enrolment about 10 months ago, was a key part of South Africa’s repeated World Cup victories under Rassie Erasmus’ supervision.
The 37-year-old, previously an Ireland international, was the brains behind the aggressive blitz defence which initially faced challenges but started to see effect during the Six Nations. It caused difficulties for New Zealand in July as England suffered narrow losses in Dunedin and Auckland.
Despite Jones’s resignation, his contract includes a one-year notice period. If upheld by the English Rugby Football Union, this would mean Jones’s involvement until the following summer. The news of his unexpected exit follows the similarly surprising departure of head of strength and conditioning, Aled Walters, who has migrated to Ireland. Walters, a prominent figure during training sessions, extended his influence beyond his conditioning duties. His exit was followed by Tom Tombleson, a member of the conditioning staff who had served for long.
The future of England’s management includes uncertainty surrounding Kevin Sinfield, the rugby league legend who was bumped down to skills coach when Jones joined. While Sinfield was set to resign after the recent Japan and New Zealand tour, his experience and popularity among team members was valued too highly to be let go. It remains unclear whether he will extend his tenure and in what function.
Jones’s decision to move on is believed to be connected to Walter’s exit, as they had a productive working relationship at Munster and later South Africa under Erasmus. This continuous rotational movement of support staff, a characteristic pattern of the Eddie Jones era, brings Borthwick’s techniques into scrutiny. The confirmed members of Borthwick’s management team for the autumn include Richard Wigglesworth, the attack coach; Tom Harrison, the scrum coach and coaching consultant Andrew Strawbridge.
The All Blacks’ trip to Twickenham on November 2nd commences a sequence of matches involving Australia, South Africa, and Japan. Whether Jones will participate in these encounters is still uncertain. Regarded as a significant blow by Borthwick, who has continuously praised the influence of Jones and labelled his understanding as “revolutionary”, this development is worth noting.