One game down and Eddie Jones is off the mark as England rugby coach.
He saw his side beat Scotland last night to claim the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield, after a less than impressive performance from his charges in a 15-9 win.
Still, a win is a win as anyone at Stoke City football club will tell you.
Fans at the Britannia were used to grinding out results under Tony Pulis until the arrival of Mark Hughes seemed to change all that.
But old perceptions are hard to try and eradicate it seems, and in the build up to this weekend’s Six Nations opener for Jones, he appears to have taken a major dig at the football that Stoke City used to play when describing a very ugly style of rugby he’s hoping to avoid with the ‘Red Rose’.
“Every time you attack there is a risk involved. If you want to play like the old Stoke City, then that’s the safest way to play, isn’t it? Just stick the ball in the air, chase hard and get everyone to clap.”
Gutted for Stoke. Were the better side in my opinion. Pieters outstanding!!! Affelay brilliant, crouch immense. Penalties eh gotta love them
— Billy Pulman (@pulman27) January 26, 2016
Brilliant play from Stoke, substitute Van Ginkel getting in behind the Liverpool defence and smashing Mignolet's post, so close to glory
— Michael Anderson (@TheGeordieNeo) January 26, 2016
England didn’t show much flair last night but did get the job done, but the remarks went down very badly with Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross, who used the programme notes before the 3-0 loss at home to Everton, to hit back at Jones’ comments
“I reckon he should stick to talking about the sport he’s paid to work in rather than dipping his toe in the world of football.
‘Why bring our name into a conversation about rugby? Stick to what you know would be my advice. Rant over!”
Shawcross of course is trying to suggest that players like Bojan and Jonny Walters don’t play lump it up the middle football anymore, and he’s bloody right as anyone who would have seen Stoke dismantle various teams this season could tell you.
Eddie needs to get out more.
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