sport news CHRIS FOY: How Jones can turn doom into a new boom and transform England into ... trends now
The RFU are in post-mortem mode after another dire England campaign — an autumn series which yielded just one win, two jarring home defeats and an overall sense of a national team going backwards, in defiance of their considerable talent.
Head coach Eddie Jones is facing fierce external criticism, but the expectation is that he will once again receive the backing of his bosses, who are convinced that the Australian can turn England into prime World Cup contenders again in time for the tournament next autumn.
On the basis that regime change is not likely to be on the agenda, Sportsmail looks at what needs to be done to spark a revival…
Head coach Eddie Jones is facing fierce external criticism after a dismal autumn campaign
Decide on a first-choice XV
It is high time for Jones to decide on a preferred line-up and let it gel. Unless injuries intervene, there is an urgent need for stability, in order for combinations to take shape.
Too many horses-for-courses selections are not paying off. Rotation has left England all too often going round and round in circles of confusion. France know their best side and it shows.
They have familiarity and cohesion. England need some of that, and soon.
Midfield shake-up
England’s attack is not functioning properly and the official line is that it will just take time. But a lack of clarity in relation to game-management is a glaring concern now.
More and more shrewd judges are insisting that Jones must make a call between Marcus Smith or Owen Farrell at 10 (not forgetting George Ford when he is fit again) and reshape the centre partnership.
Bring Ollie Lawrence back for another crack and maybe pass him the ball this time.
Pick Manu Tuilagi at 12 and make sure he is more involved, too. If Henry Slade lines up at outside centre, Jones will have his two playmakers.
Jones must make a call between Marcus Smith or Owen Farrell at 10
Fix the scrum struggles
This is an area which perhaps does require a coaching change, as it just isn’t working out for forwards coach Matt Proudfoot.
England have to reinforce their set-piece platform and the scrum is a trickier fix.
It would be wrong to ignore proven veterans, so the door must be open for Joe Marler to be reinstated and perhaps even Dan Cole is worth another look, based on his wily scrummaging for Leicester. He certainly
