UC academic offers insight into Eddie Jones’ coaching
The head coach of a rejuvenated England rugby team, Eddie Jones has a long connection with University of Canterbury
Professor Richard Light, who offers an insight into Jones’ coaching plus a warning for the All Blacks.
Former head coach of the Australian and Japanese national rugby teams, Jones also helped South Africa to 2007 World Cup
victory as technical advisor of the South African team at the tournament. After leading Japan to a stunning win over the
Springboks during the 2015 World Cup, he recently steered England to its first win in the Six Nations tournament since
2011 and their first grand slam for 16 years.
Much has been written about Jones’ success with Japan and England but University of Canterbury (UC) Professor of Sport
Coaching Richard Light has particular insight into Jones’ approach.
The UC academic has come to know the international coach well through his rugby research over the past decade, with both
Jones and former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith endorsing Light’s new book Advances in Rugby Coaching, which was launched
at the University of Canterbury by All Blacks captain and UC student Kieran Read, recently.
In June, Jones will take the England team to Australia to take on the Wallabies in a much anticipated series that will
show how far Jones has taken England.
Light predicts it will also reveal something about how well on track he is to achieve his aim of toppling the All
Blacks, as he did in the 2003 RWC semi-final when in charge of Australia.
“Jones has made significant changes to England with immediate success and has a young team with an average age of 24
that will only get better over the next few years.”
When Jones was in Japan, Light visited him regularly to talk about coaching.
“Jones is a deep thinker and someone who follows a similar athlete-centred approach to coaching that empowers players
and gives them responsibility,” Light says.
The sport coaching expert says that the athlete-centred approach that guides Jones’ coaching methods also guides rugby
coaching across New Zealand.
“His knowledge of this approach and of both the Wallabies and All Blacks play and his commitment to beating both teams
will make the June tour downunder by England compelling viewing for all of New Zealand,” he says.
Jones was to be the keynote speaker at the 2015 International Game Sense for Coaching and Teaching Conference held at
the University of Canterbury in November 2015 but had to withdraw after accepting the role of coaching the Stormers in
South Africa and then the job as England coach.
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