10 February 2023 , 13:39
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Eddie Jones has told Steve Borthwick to "keep blaming me" for future England failures in a bitter snipe at his successor.
Jones - sacked by RFU bosses following a dismal autumn campaign - is the new head coach of Australia, but is not shying away from his views on the new Red Rose regime.
Borthwick replaced Jones in December but his era got off to a frustrating start with a 23-29 Calcutta Cup defeat to Scotland at Twickenham in Saturday's Six Nations opener. And in a damning verdict after the match, Borthwick asserted that the England team he inherited from Jones 'weren't good at anything' and needed vast improvement in all areas.
And while Jones agreed that England were lacking all over the pitch, the 63-year-old delivered a cutting riposte to Borthwick playing a possible blame game.
'He is probably right. That was part of the problem," Jones told his new podcast EDDIE. "We were trying to morph a team that had been a very good set-piece and kicking team.
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"The way the game is played at the moment, that will win you games but it is probably not good enough to be World Cup champions. So expanding the attack sometimes takes away from your strength.
"They are going through that difficult period now where they are trying to get the balance right in the game. There is no doubt Steve will fix it. And keep blaming me, that is alright. I have got a pretty strong back and pretty strong shoulders to absorb that.
Borthwick had claimed the England squad he took over "weren't good at anything" (David Rogers/Getty Images)"There is probably still a bit more pain to go for England, which is hard for the supporters and for the coaches, but I am sure they will get through it."
Plenty of England fans will dispute Jones's suggestion that he had developed a good set piece and kicking game following the uninspiring autumn series that ultimately cost him his job.
His side failed to get the basics right in defeats to Argentina and South Africa and were brutally dominated at scrum time in the Springboks humbling that served as his death knell. Borthwick, meanwhile, could take some positives from the Scotland showing, that came just 11 days into his first coaching camp with his new squad.
England endured familiar failings in their defeat to Scotland (The RFU Collection via Getty Ima)There is pressure, however, to overcome a resurgent, much-improved Italy side at home on Sunday and Jones believes Borthwick will turn to his forwards to overpower the Azzurri in a close encounter.
"The English always bounce back. I think they will really try and play a lot more gainline and try to pulverise Italy," he opined. "But Italy are a lot better defensively. They will come to Twickenham thinking they can win this game. This will be a tighter game than it has been historically."