Eddie addresses breakdown problems with ref boss
NEWS: Eddie Jones met up with Rugby Football Union referees’ chief Tony Spreadbury in the hopes of solving England’s breakdown issues ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
According to the BBC, the England coach Jones met up with Spreadbury and requested that officials should allow more of a contest at the breakdowns during Premiership.
Premiership referees last season favoured the attacking side, encouraging teams to keep the ball.
However, Jones has urged the Premiership to bring the breakdown officiating closer into line with the international game and their counterparts in other countries.
Jones previously suggested that the Pro14 and Super Rugby allowed more of a contest at the breakdown, therefore better preparing England’s rivals for the international stage.
England’s breakdown problems were evident during the Six Nations and the June Test series tour in South Africa.
Spreadbury told the BBC, Jones “wants a contest” at the breakdown in the Premiership.
“He was saying to me ‘if we have a contest, that will be great for us [England national team],” Spreadbury said.
“I said that’s fine, but we will referee the laws of the game, and he accepts that. We also want a contest and we want to allow a contest.”
England are facing a challenging block of tests when they resume in November.
They host the Springboks, All Blacks, Wallabies and Japan on consecutive weekends at Twickenham with Jones under pressure to deliver results after losing five of their last six tests and surrendering the Six Nations title.
Source: BBC.com
