Eddie Jones: RFU's England progress claim is 'dishonest', says Ugo Monye

The Rugby Football Union's claim that England made "solid progress" during the Six Nations is "dishonest", says former wing Ugo Monye.

England won just two matches for the second successive championship and scored fewer tries than in 2021.

"I want to know who in the RFU thinks that signifies progress and are happy with how things are going," Monye told the Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"Fundamentally it's just dishonest. There isn't progress."

Head coach Eddie Jones, 62, has faced calls to resign after England finished in third place following a 25-13 defeat by Grand Slam champions France.

An unnamed RFU spokesperson said the Australian "is building a new England team against a clear strategy" and it "continues to fully support Eddie".

The spokesperson went on to say that "a full review" would be conducted "as is normal after each tournament".

The Mail on Sunday's back page read 'Eddie faces the guillotine' after England's loss

"The RFU are trying to get the press off Eddie Jones' back," said former Wales captain Sam Warburton.

"It's not honest. No-one apart from Italy will see two wins as progress. This is definitely not progress for England."

Monye said someone in power at the RFU should have put their name to the statement and taken responsibility for England's "unacceptable" Six Nations.

He also said he "felt sad for some of the players" because they were not getting the right direction.

"With the financial backing, the player pool and the coaching staff they have you cannot be winning two out of five games two years in a row. It's appalling, unimaginable, unacceptable," he said.

"England talk about showing great spirit and fight against Ireland and France but you expect that as a baseline. They were miles behind where France were."

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'England disrespecting the Six Nations'

Jones has regularly stated that he sees England's losses as learning experiences for younger players with the World Cup in France in 2023 in mind, but Warburton said England had not placed enough emphasis on the Six Nations.

"It's not about the World Cup right now, it's about the Six Nations," he said on BBC Two's Rugby Union Special.

"It's an amazing tournament and it's disrespectful to say 'we're building to the World Cup next year'. It's about winning the Six Nations at all costs. I don't like this 'buying time' talk."

The former British and Irish Lions captain said he was baffled by England's decline given the talent they have.

"The World Cup semi-final win against New Zealand in 2019 was arguably the best performance England have ever produced but I don't know how they are so far away from that now," he added.

"They should be physically dominating teams and be strong in the set-piece. They have amazing players like Marcus Smith and Harry Randall and should be a brilliant team, but I don't know why they have regressed so far.

"They are way behind where they were for the 2019 World Cup."

Former Scotland captain John Barclay questioned England's strategy and whether the return of injured players such as captain Owen Farrell, Jonny May, Anthony Watson and Manu Tuilagi would solve the team's problems.

"Eddie Jones said he wanted to unleash an expansive and attacking brand of rugby," he said. "They should be playing an amazing brand of rugby but what will these players add to the team if the system is not there?

"England are chopping and changing, they are changing their style of play and it's not clicking at the moment."

• Watch Six Nations Rugby on BBC iPlayer

From high to low - Jones' Six Nations record

• Jones became head coach in November 2015 and led England to a Grand Slam in his first Six Nations

• He oversaw another title in 2017, with his side's 18-match unbeaten run ended in the final game of the tournament by Ireland

• England finished fifth in the 2018 Six Nations - at the time their worst ever final position since the Five Nations became Six

• They came second in 2019 and later in the year reached the final of the World Cup in Japan only to lose to South Africa

• The Australian was rewarded with a new four-year contract to take England to the 2023 World Cup

• After winning a 2020 Six Nations which ended in October because of disruption caused by Covid-19, England finished fifth in 2021

• England came third in 2022, winning only two matches for the second successive year