A World-Class Team Requires a World-Class Coaching Staff
In the realm of professional rugby, a world-class team is only as strong as its coaching staff. Unfortunately, England has been experiencing a troubling trend of losing coaches over the past year, which has hindered their ability to perform at a high level. One of the most significant departures was that of Felix Jones, who has recently been re-signed by the reigning world champions, South Africa, after completing his notice period with the England team.
Jones, who joined England’s coaching staff just before the 2024 Six Nations, resigned in August of the previous year, citing an “unstable working environment” as one of the main reasons for his departure.
Coaching Experience and Impact
The 37-year-old Irishman previously served as an assistant coach for the Springboks during the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, both of which resulted in championship victories. His arrival at Pennyhill Park was initially perceived as a significant achievement for head coach Steve Borthwick ahead of his second Six Nations campaign. Players from South Africa praised Jones, referring to him as “unbelievable,” “a privilege to work with,” and “an amazing coach and person.” Kwagga Smith even stated that “all of us as Springboks are better players because of him.”
Despite expectations that Jones would take on the role of England’s attack coach—similar to his successful tenure with South Africa—Richard Wigglesworth retained that position, leaving Jones to focus on defense. However, after just seven months, Jones decided to resign, working his notice period remotely while providing tactical analysis.
Return to South Africa
Once his contract with England was concluded, South Africa swiftly re-hired him as one of their six assistant coaches, reuniting him with three staff members he had previously collaborated with before departing after the 2023 World Cup. South Africa’s head coach, Rassie Erasmus, expressed enthusiasm for Jones’s return, stating, “His experience, professionalism, and excellent work ethic will make him a great addition to the fantastic coaching team we built from the beginning of 2024.”
- Erasmus emphasized that Jones had previously worked closely with most of the current coaching staff and would continue to do so with newcomers Jerry Flannery and Tony Brown.
- He also noted, “After spending some time in England, his experience of working in the UK and studying the opposition teams in the Six Nations and other international tournaments will add immense value in assisting us to adapt and improve as we cast an eye on a tough international season ahead.”
This last statement serves as a pointed reminder of the current state of English rugby. Jones was not even present in camp during the week England faced South Africa last autumn, and Borthwick has avoided inquiries regarding Jones’s contributions to game planning. Now, the 37-year-old has effectively become a “triple agent,” returning to Cape Town with his laptop to provide the Springboks with insights about Borthwick’s England. While the double world champions might not necessarily need this information, their relentless pursuit of knowledge and success remains evident.
Concerns for England’s Coaching Structure
Kevin Sinfield, who succeeded Jones as England’s defense coach and now focuses on skills and kicking, commented, “I had not heard until this morning; we wish him well. I really enjoyed working with him, got on great with him, and I wish him well. Everyone in the squad would, and I look forward to coming up against him again.” His departure has been a surprise to many within the England camp and serves as a wake-up call to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) about the declining appeal of their elite setup for high-level coaches.
Hiring Jones seemed like a strategic masterstroke until his unexpected resignation. Shortly thereafter, fitness coach Tom Tombleson departed after a decade with the team. Strength and conditioning expert Aled Walters, another notable poach from South Africa, also left that same summer. Sinfield took a significant hiatus during the autumn due to a book tour, while Joe El-Abd, Jones’s successor as defense coach and Borthwick’s former flatmate, is currently on a job-share with a second-tier French club, Oyonnax. Phil Morrow will step in as head of strength and conditioning, but due to Premiership clubs blocking a request for him to undertake both roles simultaneously, that transition will not occur until the upcoming summer.
Borthwick appears to have no substantial answers to the mounting questions surrounding this troubling trend. This situation is not indicative of high-performance sport. If England seeks a benchmark for what high performance should resemble, they need only to review the recent press release from the Springboks.
Erasmus concluded, “As a team, we are well aware that we need to keep improving and growing if we want to remain one of the best teams in the world and to give ourselves the best possible chance to defend our World Cup title in Australia in 2027, and Felix, like all the other coaching and support staff, will play a key role in guiding us to do so.”
In stark contrast, England’s current trajectory does not reflect improvement or growth. The ongoing trend of losing top-tier coaches presents an increasing challenge in finding suitable replacements.
