Despite experiencing plenty of success during his time in charge of the national team, it is fair to say that Eddie Jones is not the most popular name in English rugby circles at the moment.
Their results have been pretty dire over the last couple of years, although they would impress during the recent series win in Australia. England have won a combined four games over the last two Six Nations campaign, with many believing the head coach should be replaced as a result.
The RFU have been hesitant to do so. As for Jones, he has come up with a rather odd reason for their sustained period of poor form.
Eddie Jones blames private schools for England failings
The English system to develop players relies heavily on private schools, with the best young players around the country often attending the fee-paying institutions that have a long track record of performing in the sport.
Eddie Jones believes this has hampered what he could do with the national team in recent years.
Speaking to iNews, he said that the way his players were developed in privileged environments meant they often found it difficult to perform when things went against them on the pitch.
They are good, tough players. They work hard but they only know what they know. If you have only been in a system where you get to 15, you have a bit of rugby ability and then go to Harrow.
Then for two years you do nothing but play rugby, everything's done for you. That's the reality. You have this closeted life.
When things go to crap on the field who’s going to lead because these blokes have never had experience of it? I see that as a big thing. When we are on the front foot we are the best in the world. When we are not on the front foot our ability to find a way to win, our resolve, is not as it should be.
There is this desire to be polite and so winning is seen as a bit uncouth. 'We have to play the game properly, old chap.’
It’s the way the players are educated. I’ve been here seven years now and I’ve never seen kids in a park playing touch football (rugby). Never. Zero.
In the southern hemisphere they are all doing that, developing their skills. Here you see them playing football, but never touch football.
That’s the problem. It’s all formal coaching, in a formal setting, in public schools. You are going to have to blow the whole thing up at some stage, change it because you are not getting enough skilful players through.
Of course, this system has long been used in England, so it's difficult to see why it is only now affecting the national team.
There were few complaints from Eddie Jones in the early years of his reign when the team were consistently performing at a high level.
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