Eddie Jones pursuing perfection and lasting legacy with England

Eddie Jones admits he will probably be walking away as a Rugby World Cup winner in three years if England live up to his lofty expectations.

It was announced on Thursday that the 60-year-old had signed a new contract to remain as England’s coach through to the next World Cup, where his side will aim to go one better than they did last year.

A 32-12 loss to South Africa meant Jones and his squad left Japan disappointed but, having fielded the youngest ever team to play in a World Cup final, Jones is now looking to the future.

The Australian hopes his pursuit of perfection will result in his team lifting The Webb Ellis Cup in France in 2023.

“We want to become a great team, I think I have stated that fairly consistently,” Jones said.

“We want to become a great team; we want to become one of those teams where people remember how you play for a period of time because that’s the ache I have as a coach.

78% – The @EnglandRugby men’s team have won 78% of their Test matches since Eddie Jones took charge in 2016, their best win rate under any coach. Extension. pic.twitter.com/B8TULXaw2S

— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) April 2, 2020

“I want a team that plays the perfect game of rugby and I want a team that can be remembered as a great team.

“I think we’ve got players within England to do that. I think the players have the hunger to do it. I think we’re seeing periods of time where they have done it, but we haven’t been able to do it consistently.

“The test of greatness is to do it consistently. With that comes results.

“If we’re the greatest team then a World Cup medal’s probably sitting in front of us. Our goal hasn’t changed at all from what I stated at the start of this cycle and it will continue to be the same.”

Jones has the best win percentage of any England coach in history, his team having won 78 per cent of his 54 Test matches in charge.

However, the defeat to the Springboks in the World Cup final has left him with a sense of unfinished business.

“Having done the four years, I felt the project hasn’t been finished yet. There is still a lot of growth in the team,” Jones added.

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