Sport

Eddie Jones has been sacked by the England Rugby Union

Eddie Jones has been sacked by the England Rugby Union
Eddie Jones, © PA Wire/PA Images

Eddie Jones has been sacked as England Rugby head coach.

The Australian has been in charge for seven years and successfully guided England to the last World Cup final.

The team's form has dipped in recent months, seeing the side drop to fifth in the World Rankings.

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A statement from the RFU reads: "The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will now conclude the long-term work it has been undertaking on coach succession planning with changes set to be announced in the near future.

"In the interim, Richard Cockerill will take over the day-to-day running of the men’s performance team.

"It is important to recognise the huge contribution Eddie has made to English rugby, winning three Six Nations Championships, one Grand Slam and taking us to a Rugby World Cup Final," said RFU CEO, Bill Sweeney.

"He has the highest win ratio of any previous England head coach and has helped develop the leadership skills of many players and coaches.

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"I am grateful to Eddie for all he has done for England across many areas of the game and the professional way in which he has approached reviewing the performance of the team. He has provided the panel with astute insight and meaningful lessons that will support the team's performance going forward."

The decision for Eddie to leave was taken by the RFU board earlier today. Speaking about the decision, RFU Chair, Tom Ilube said: "The independent review panel regularly updates the board on its discussions and findings.  We are fully supportive of its process and recommendations."

Ultimately, Jones has paid the price for a poor November, as his side lost out to Argentina and South Africa.

Steve Borthwick has been tipped to take over.

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