Eddie Jones has made his support for the rebel rugby league R360 loud and clear. As the current Japan coach, and formerly of England and Australia, he believes this breakaway competition, led by Mike Tindall, is much needed in the world of rugby. Despite a setback from several governing bodies declaring that players in R360 won’t be eligible for Test rugby, Jones compares this to the transformative World Series Cricket. He argues that rugby requires an entertainment level to attract more fans, sponsors, and commercial interest, thereby sustaining traditional rugby.
Jones stressed the importance of international rugby thriving and suggested adopting aligned international windows, similar to football, to protect domestic leagues. He notes that, aside from France and Japan’s successes, domestic rugby is financially struggling, pointing to significant reductions in team numbers in the US, England, and even Super Rugby.
On a different note, Lions star Ollie Chessum shared his disappointment about the lack of interaction between the Lions and Wallabies after their latest series in Australia. Despite winning the series 2-1, Chessum felt the end lacked the camaraderie and jersey swapping he anticipated.
Lastly, the All Blacks face a setback as Patrick Tuipulotu is out of the autumn campaign due to a shoulder injury requiring surgery. This is another blow for New Zealand, who already lost other key players to injuries. The squad, now missing Tuipulotu, gears up to play Ireland in Chicago on 1st November – the ground where they first lost to Ireland back in 2016.
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