As France’s players celebrated their triumphant Grand Slam success, the look of dejection on the faces of the England squad told you everything you need to know about their 2022 Six Nations campaign. It was a third defeat in five matches, and having finished fifth in the table 12 months ago, a third-place finish this time around won’t do much to ease the frustration among English rugby fans.

Eddie Jones’ side were one of the favourites on Betdaq going into the tournament, but after a disappointing defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield in their opening match, it always felt as though England were going to struggle to contend for the title they won in 2020. In the end, it has proved to be a hugely disappointing campaign, and it’s no surprise that questions are being asked of head coach Jones.

However, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in England made clear that they still “fully support” Jones in his position. They said that they felt progress was being made and that Jones was working within the realms of a clear strategy for future growth. It’s hard to justify those kinds of words when England could only manage two wins at this year’s Six Nations. 

“That is not a question I need to answer,” Jones said when he was asked about his future after the defeat to France. “I just do my job — it’s a question for other people. I’m disappointed for the fans and for the players. I obviously haven’t done a good enough job, I accept that, but we’re moving in the right direction. The results aren’t good enough. When you rebuild a team it takes time.”

For a team that won the Six Nations just two years ago, it feels as though such a large rebuilding job shouldn’t be necessary. It’s true that some of England’s star performers of the last 10 years have gradually seen their careers wind down, but there is still plenty of talent within the ranks, and a coach as talented and successful as Jones shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a tune out of them. 

Given that Jones has been given the support of the RFU, it feels as though England are at something of a crossroads under the Australian. 2023 will be a crucial year, with another Six Nations in the spring before heading to France in the autumn for the Rugby World Cup. It’s vital that Jones spends the time between now and then to create a side capable of challenging for both of those titles.

If both next year’s Six Nations and the World Cup were to go badly, it would be something of a crisis for England. Jones’ rebuilding project will no doubt be geared towards success in those two events, but if he is to fail to create anything meaningful, it will leave a lasting mark against his legacy as a coach. 

Things will need to improve fast. Despite finishing two places higher in the final standings, England scored less tries in this year’s Six Nations than last year, and won the same number of matches. What happens from here will be hugely important for the future of English rugby, and Jones needs to prove he is the right man to lead them forward.