Eddie Jones: Ex-England coach says he's 'going to love' Twickenham return with the Barbarians
- Published
Eddie Jones led England to the 2019 Rugby World Cup final but they were beaten by South Africa
Former England coach Eddie Jones says he is going to love returning to Twickenham on Sunday when he coaches the Barbarians against a World XV.
It will be the first time the 63-year-old has returned to the stadium since he was sacked in December.
Jones departed after a run of five wins in 12 games in 2022, with fans booing at the end of their autumn campaign.
"I had a great seven years and I love Twickenham so I'm looking forward to getting back," he told BBC Sport.
Australian Jones added: "I'm going to love it. Things very rarely end well. How many marriages end well? Coaching with national teams is like a marriage, very few get out of it in a good situation."
Jones has since been appointed Australia coach and will lead them into the World Cup, which takes place in France from 8 September.
Asked if he contemplated focusing on that, rather than leading the Barbarians, he said: "I love the Barbarians, it is such an important institution in rugby because it houses the traditional values.
"I was brought up with community rugby. We've got to keep the Barbarians strong and we need to put on a show.
"When you get the offer to coach them you don't say no."
Former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones will lead the Barbarians after retiring from international duty last Friday.
Israel Folau starts on the wing for the World XV, who are skippered by Italy's Michele Lamaro and under the watch of former Wales and New Zealand coach Steve Hansen.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will be flying a Pride flag at Twickenham this Sunday (14:00 BST) and Hansen has welcomed the decision, saying the stance is a "positive consequence" of Folau's selection.
Folau, 34, was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for making anti-gay comments on social media.
The two teams are invitational, meaning the coaches select players from any country to participate. The game is not a Test match as, while it is played at Test level, no caps are awarded.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the RFU said it "supports the LGBTQ+ community" and understands if they "feel unwelcome" and "disheartened by the appeared acceptance of anti-LGBTQ+ viewpoints on the pitch".
It said the RFU is "challenging, and will continue to challenge, exclusionary behaviour and micro aggressions to ensure everyone feels respected, empowered and accountable".
Line-ups
Barbarians: Anscombe; Radwan, Tamanivalu, Kerevi, Li; Cooper, Maunder; Waller, Dolly, Pieretto, AW Jones (captain), Lewies, Wainwright, Yamamoto, Luatua.
Replacements: Thacker, West, Sadie, Simmons, Vailanu, Hougaard, Cruden, Johnson.
World XV: Piutau; Folau, Radradra, Laumape, Nkosi; Hastings, Phipps; W Jones, Brown, Kebble, Ratuniyarawa, Hockings, Negri, Lamaro (captain), Mata.
Replacements: Dee, Dell, Street, N Cannone, Murphy, Hall, Patchell, Rasaku.
A perfect storm strikes the school: Waterloo Road is back with a new series and the arrival of a new student causes fireworks
A chaotic comedy you can't risk to miss: Let Black Ops infiltrate your screen...
