- Wallabies legend David Campese criticizes Australia head coach Eddie Jones and England coach Steve Borthwick.
- Campese accuses Jones of overshadowing the Wallabies team with his media presence.
- He believes the controlling nature of both Jones and Borthwick’s coaching is detrimental to rugby.
- Campese draws a cricket analogy to emphasize the importance of equipping players with skills rather than micromanaging them.
- Campese highlights the identity crises both Australian and English rugby teams face.
Rugby legend David Campese, known for his memorable stints with the Wallabies, has launched a scathing criticism against Australia head coach Eddie Jones and England’s Steve Borthwick just as the Rugby World Cup is set to begin.
In his remarks to Planet Rugby, Campese voiced his concerns about Eddie Jones overshadowing the players, alleging that the “Jones Media Machine” has been running at full capacity, drawing attention away from the Wallabies team.
Campese lamented, “The biggest problem Australia faces at the moment is no one in our country has a clue who the Wallabies are and who their players are.”
Diving deeper into his criticism, the Wallabies great pointed out that since Jones’s return to Australia after leaving England, the focus has solely been on him rather than the team. Campese also mentioned his playing days with Jones at Randwick, highlighting Jones’s disappointment at being overshadowed by Phil Kearns, another player.
Campese voiced concerns about the controlling nature of Jones’s and Borthwick’s coaching style, stating it was stifling the sport. He believes the focus on statistics, or “paralysis by analysis,” as he puts it, detracts from the game’s essence.
Drawing a cricket analogy, Campese spoke about the dangers of micro-management. He emphasized that coaches should provide players with the necessary knowledge and skills and let them decide on the field instead of trying to control every move.
Closing his comments, Campese took another swipe at Jones, comparing his reputation to Sir Alex Ferguson’s, albeit without the same track record of success. He highlighted the challenges the Australian and English rugby teams faced and stressed the need for both to reconnect with their fans.
