Jones: Baa-Baas on my mind, not England

Eddie Jones will lead the Barbarians against Fiji at Twickenham

Eddie Jones is only thinking about the Barbarians this week after refusing to talk about his future as England head coach.

The Australian will be in charge of the invitational side on Saturday when they do battle with Fiji at Twickenham.

It will take place only two weeks after Jones’ England lost to South Africa in the World Cup final and he has a number of Springboks in this Barbarians squad.

His contract with the Rugby Football Union is only until 2021, but earlier this month RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney admitted it “makes sense” for the 59-year-old to continue until the World Cup 2023 in France.

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England head coach Eddie Jones admits he should have made changes to his squad ahead of the World Cup final against South Africa

England head coach Eddie Jones admits he should have made changes to his squad ahead of the World Cup final against South Africa

“The only thing I’ve been worried about this week is coaching the Barbarians. It’s a highly enjoyable experience and it’s a great honour,” Jones said.

“There is nothing to think about. It is done and dusted. I can’t do anything about what’s happened. The only thing I can do is what I do next.

“The next thing I’m going to do is make sure this Barbarians’ side play some great rugby, so that’s the only thing I’m worried about.”

South Africa World Cup winners Tendai Mtawarira, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi are in Jones’ Barbarians squad for this Killik Cup match.

Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira will feature in his final game too, two weeks on from lifting the Rugby World Cup

But England’s head coach holds no ill feelings against them, adding: “Not at all, we are happy for them.

“I think Bobby Robson had that great turn ‘there is one happy dressing room and one sad dressing room and you want to be in the happy dressing room as much as you can, but if you are in the sad dressing room you appreciate the happiness the other team has’.

“It is wonderful those guys want to come and play for the Barbarians. We have three of them and it’s nice to see they want to give something back to the game.

“These Barbarians games are about giving something back to the rugby community. We have already got 50,000 people coming on Saturday, which is terrific, and we want to play well and put on a really good performance.”