Rob Baxter: Eddie Jones criticism 'unfair' says Exeter boss

Rob Baxter has led Exeter from the Championship to being one of the strongest sides in Europe

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says the criticism of England coach Eddie Jones is unfair.

The Australian has come under fire after Six Nations losses to all three home nations saw England finish fifth.

Baxter, 50, has been tipped as a future head coach for England.

"That's probably the biggest problem with the game, or with the position of being England head coach or head coach in international rugby, most things get blown out of all proportion," he said.

"In other jobs, if you got to a one match off winning a World Cup and you have the success over the last five to six years that England have had there probably would not be that much scrutiny.

"This year it has not gone so well and there is massive scrutiny. That's kind of how it goes.

"Is it fair? Of course it is not. That's what sport is now and that's probably more magnified in the current climate when you don't have anything else."

Eddie Jones succeeded Stuart Lancaster after the 2015 World Cup and led England to the 2019 World Cup final where they lost to South Africa

Baxter has led the Chiefs to two Premiership titles and the 2020 European Champions Cup since taking over in 2009.

But Baxter - who first joined the club in 1987 as a player - reaffirmed his commitment to the Chiefs, where his contract runs until the summer of 2023.

"You've got to suddenly say I'm prepared to drop everything and this is it, this is what I'm going to focus the next pretty much 24 hours a day on from now on until I get sacked," he said.

"I'd have to ask myself a lot of questions before I'd want to commit to something like that.

"I'd have to spend a lot of time talking to my wife about it, whether it's something she was comfortable with because she's a huge part of the success I've had down here.

"That on top of the fact that I'm under contract here which is very important to me.

"I'm the kind of guy when I offer contracts to players I expect them to honour them. I've signed more players here with the shake of a hand than we have with the signing of the pen, the pen stuff has come afterwards as a bit of a by-product of everything else.

"When I shake hands with Tony Rowe and he says 'you're going to be here for the next three years' and I say 'yes', then that means a lot to me as well.

"That and things like coaching staff - the only coaching staff I know I'd feel comfortable with at the moment are here at this club and I couldn't take them away from here."