Eddie Jones: Rugby Maverick

by Mike Colman

The first biography of the enigmatic coach who has completely transformed the England rugby team. After Eddie Jones began coaching England's rugby team in November 2015, they won 22 of their next 23 matches. The side that limped out of the last World Cup was thoroughly revitalized. But who is the unconventional figure responsible for this change of fortune? And will he be able to sustain his brilliant track record in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup? From his school days playing alongside the legendary Ella brothers to his masterminding of Japan's jaw-dropping victory over South Africa in the 2015 World Cup, Eddie Jones has always been a polarizing figure, known for his punishing work ethic. Constantly controversial, never complacent, Jones has truly shaken up English rugby. Drawing on over 100 interviews with former teammates, players, administrators, and coaching colleagues, veteran rugby writer Mike Colman brings a rare level of insight to his biography of this singular man.

Genres: Biography

384 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2019

Reviews

[Allan Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a pre-conceived idea of EJ I.e. I disliked him. But this book shines a light on a driven, gifted coach who has made lots of mistakes and errors of judgment but doesn’t shy away from them. He is respectful of his peers coaches and clearly takes great pride in his player development and of course Japan.

[Hiroshi Fukushima]

A book on the highlights of his life that happened during this career and references to some notable comments he made to the media during his career. Not necessarily written in order but the order is easy to follow.

[Rich Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic insight into an infuriating, engaging & driven coach. Very balanced, this book gave an unbiased account of Eddie’s time starting out at Randwick to his current tenure at England with the RFU. Highly recommended for anyone interested in international test rugby.