Danny Cipriani supports Danny Care's criticism of Eddie Jones' coaching style

Former England fly-half Danny Cipriani has openly supported fellow rugby veteran Danny Care’s harsh assessment of Eddie Jones' coaching style during his tenure with the England national team.

Care, who retired from international rugby earlier this year with 101 caps, described Jones’ management style as akin to "living in a dictatorship" in his recent autobiography, Everything Happens for a Reason. In the book, Care claimed that under Jones, "everyone was terrified of him."

Cipriani, who only had limited opportunities under Jones despite consistent domestic success, echoed Care’s sentiments. He was a standout in the Premiership, even winning the 2019 Premiership Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards, yet was selected only twice by Jones.

Despite his stellar performance, he often found himself sidelined, and he believes it was due to Jones’ inflexible and authoritarian leadership style.

In a conversation with Sky Sports News, Cipriani shared that he did not personally fear Jones, though he understood how the environment under the coach could have had that impact on others.

"I was never terrified of Eddie," Cipriani explained. "He was very resistant to anyone that had a difference of opinion to him."

According to Cipriani, Jones expected unwavering compliance from his players, creating an environment where players felt pressured to follow orders without question.

"Everyone within that squad had to do and say, 'yes, sir, no, sir, three bags full, sir,'" he commented. Cipriani noted that he was unwilling to compromise his principles just for an England cap, adding, "For me, that wasn't something I was willing to do."

Jones led England from 2016 to 2022, securing three Six Nations titles and a World Cup runners-up finish in 2019. Despite this record, Cipriani and Care's criticisms highlight what they feel was an overly restrictive coaching environment that may have stifled players' creativity and personal growth.

Cipriani praised Care for publicly addressing the challenges of playing under Jones, suggesting that such coaching methods are detrimental to the sport.

"I think fair play to him [Care] for coming out and saying it because coaches like that... are limiting the sport and making people not want to take part," Cipriani remarked.