The Australian's assertion that Ireland are the Stoke City of the Six Nations has left him needing a stylish win at Twickenham to save face
Ireland’s first ever win at Twickenham in the Six Nations back in 2004 emphatically ended the most successful era in English rugby history.
Should they record another on Saturday, then the achievement would serve to delay – at least temporarily – the start of another.
Much like the England team they defeated 12 years ago, Ireland are currently a team in limbo.
Andy Robinson’s side that day contained 11 of the players who started the 2003 Rugby World Cup final against an Australian side coached, coincidentally, by Eddie Jones.
They had, however, lost an inspirational captain following the retirement of Martin Johnson and were without star fly-half Jonny Wilkinson due to injury.
Ireland’s 19-13 triumph – England’s first defeat since lifting the Webb Ellis trophy – was a sign that the transition from the Woodward era would not be a smooth one.
Joe Schmidt, the mastermind of the back-to-back championships won by the current Irish crop, remains at the helm.
But, still reeling from the emotional farewell of Paul O’Connell and with Jonny Sexton struggling to dictate matches like he used to, it is unclear how long the wait for another crown might be.
Their chances of an unprecedented third consecutive title are not impossible, but with just one point on the board from their first two games Ireland have relatively little to play for.
Given how badly they have been decimated by injury, an unexpected victory would not even serve as a formative moment in the development of this hastily-assembled group of players.
For the men in green, bursting Jones’ bubble is about as significant an achievement as they can aim for.
Not that such a prospect does not provide enough incentive.
Jones’ recent comparison of Ireland’s style of play to that of Stoke City, given their propensity for kicking the ball long, was cheeky rather than chastening.
Yet as calmly as the comment has been batted away by the Irish coaching staff, Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross cannot have been the only person to take umbrage with his remark.
The Potters’ captain has since suggested in his programme notes that the England coach should stick to what he knows. He has a point.
Jones claimed that Ireland’s tendency to kick is “not how I think rugby should be played”, yet the stats tell a rather different story.
So far in the Six Nations, Ireland have kicked from hand 53 times, the equivalent of nine per cent of their possession.
By comparison, England have done so 77 times – 15 per cent of their own.
Having ground their way to two victories on the road, these back-to-back home games are England’s chance to show off the new direction in which they are supposedly heading.
Yet in trying to get into Irish heads, Jones has only increased the impatience and expectation for his own side to cut loose.
Unlike Ireland, it is not a case of any win will do for him or England.
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