"Broken system" - Eddie Jones lays into RFU during latest rant

Rugby News
Friday, 01 September 2023 at 10:31
screenshot 2023 09 01 at 103044
Australia's head coach, Eddie Jones, attributes England's recent poor performance to the RFU's failure to develop sufficient high-quality players.
Last week, England suffered a surprising loss to Fiji, marking their third defeat in four matches leading up to the upcoming World Cup in France.
While head coach Steve Borthwick has faced criticism, former England boss Jones believes that the responsibility for the team's struggles should be placed elsewhere.
"The results of England over the last five years... they're not producing quality players," Jones told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"And so everyone looks at the head coach, and [says] 'let's blame the head coach'. But the onus on producing quality players is the RFU. And that hasn't happened. 
"You've got to look at why you're not bringing talent through, then you've got to look at why your talent development systems are not doing that.
"The system's not right. What needs to change? Where's the gap? That's the responsibility of the RFU."
Jones added that his successor Borthwick is in a "It's difficult situation. You've got an ageing team.
"Anyone who knows anything about sport can see that and then you've got new players coming in. 
"Some of them have come through and done really well, like a Freddie Steward, others are still finding their feet, like a Marcus Smith."

The 100 best rugby players in the world:

With less than a fortnight remaining until the commencement of the Rugby World Cup, the rugby specialists at Telegraph Sport have collaboratively assessed and ranked the top 100 players globally.
Presented below is the comprehensive list, starting from the 100th spot and culminating at the first position.
100. Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
99. Tommaso Menoncello (Italy)
98. Franco Mostert (South Africa)
97. Paul Alo-Emile (Samoa)
96. Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)
95 Juan Martín González (Argentina)
94. Jasper Wiese (South Africa)
93. Damian Willemse (South Africa)
92. Mark Telea (New Zealand)
91. Faf de Klerk (South Africa)
90. Handré Pollard (South Africa)
89. James Lowe (Ireland)
88. Jamie Ritchie (Scotland)
87. Paul Willemse (France)
86. Shannon Frizell (New Zealand)
85. Freddie Steward (England)
They wrote: "The best England player to emerge in this four-year cycle, without question. Steward has come a long way from having to ditch a shift in Costa to turn out for Leicester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, to becoming England’s specialist diffuser under the high ball at full-back while hoovering up a number of awards. The potential is enormous, and he should thrive at his first World Cup."
84. Thibaud Flament (France)
83. Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
82. Matthieu Jalibert (France)
81.. Jac Morgan (Wales)
80 Jack Conan (Ireland)
79. Danilo Fischetti (Italy)
78. Ange Capuozzo (Italy)
77. Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)
76. Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)
75. Darcy Graham (Scotland)
74. Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales)
73. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand)
72. Ellis Genge (England)
They wrote: "England have over-relied on his excellent ball-carrying in recent years – having him return kicks against France in 2022 – and his scrummaging, largely very good, can be first-class. Not forgetting his leadership abilities either, held in high regard by this England group as vice-captain."
71. Paolo Garbisi (Italy)
70. Bundee Aki (Ireland)
69. Uini Atonio (France)
68. Mateo Carreras (Argentina)
67. Andrew Porter (Ireland)
66. Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)
65. Ethan de Groot (New Zealand)
64 Anthony Jelonch (France)
63. Owen Farrell (England)
They wrote: "Even if you are someone who has never been fully convinced, it is difficult to argue with Farrell’s placing given the season he has just had – arguably his greatest ever on an individual level, showing an array of fly-half skills that fans might not have realised he possessed. Undeniably, his latest ban has put England in a very awkward spot."
62. Theo McFarland (Samoa)
61. Samisoni Tauke’iaho (New Zealand)
60. Waisea Nayacalevu (Fiji)
59. UJ Seuteni (Samoa)
58. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
57. Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa)
56. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
55. Maro Itoje (England)
They wrote: "One of the game’s great competitors. Detractors might proffer that Itoje’s strengths have been figured out and neutralised by opponents, but he merits a place for his consistency here if nothing else. A born winner, his performances never drop below eight out of ten. In the court of public opinion, he is arguably a victim of his own early-career success."
54. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
53. Siya Kolisi (South Africa)
52. Codie Taylor (New Zealand)
51. Lu khanyo Am (South Africa)
50. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
49. Davit Niniashvili (Georgia)
48. Mack Hansen (Ireland)
47. Taniela Tupou (Australia)
46. Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)
45. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
44. Marika Koroibete (Australia)
43. Charles Ollivon (France)
42. Cyril Baille (France)
41. Gabin Villière (France)
40. Jordie Barrett (New Zealand)
39. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand)
38. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)
37. Emmanuel Meafou (Uncapped)
36. Finn Russell (Scotland)
35. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
34. Josua Tuisova (Fiji)
33. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (New Zealand)
32. Jack Willis (England)
They Wrote: "A lurching rollercoaster of a year has brought Willis to this juncture, where he is the highest-ranked England player on our list. That does not guarantee him a spot in Steve Borthwick’s starting side, of course. Just last autumn, following the demise of Wasps, Willis was battling for a spot in the 23. Moving to Toulouse, where he was integral to a title run, looks to have sharpened his link play to complement elite jackalling skills."
31. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)
30. Scott Barrett (New Zealand)
29. Marcos Kremer (Argentina)
28. Willie le Roux (South Africa)
27. Romain Ntamack (France)
26. Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
25. Frans Malherbe (South Africa)
24. Pablo Matera (Argentina)
23. Julián Montoya (Argentina)
22. Gaël Fickou (France)
21. Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
20. Will Jordan (New Zealand)
19. Steven Kitshoff (South Africa)
18. Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
17. Samu Kerevi (Australia)
16. Thomas Ramos (France)
15. Levani Botia (Fiji)
14. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
13. Julien Marchand (France)
12. James Ryan (Ireland)
11. Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
10. Hugo Keenan (Ireland)
9. Damian Penaud (France)
8. Jonathan Danty (France)
7. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
6. Will Skelton (Australia)
5. Caelan Doris (Ireland)
4. Grégory Alldritt (France)
3. Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
2 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
1. Antoine Dupont (France)

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