Borthwick would just be a clone of Eddie

THIS is it — judgment day for eddie Jones. The man who is still england’s head coach, for now, will meet his RFU bosses today as he fights to save his job.

The situation is bleak for the Australian, but this saga isn’t done yet. Don’t rule out Jones’s ability to talk his way out of a tight corner, again. He is a persuasive figure and the union’s review panel — reportedly featuring Sir Ian McGeechan, Phil de Glanville and Jonathan Webb — are an amiable bunch.

But it is understood he fears his time is up, amid indications that the working relationship with RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has become strained and tense. A loss of faith on both sides will make it hard, perhaps impossible, to maintain the status quo.

And if Jones is able to wriggle off the hook again, there would be a lack of conviction about every move this regime makes from now until the World Cup.

But it has become apparent that the loss of patience among the public and pundits has finally transmitted itself to the corridors of power, so the RFU have a big call to make and not just about Jones. If they remove him, it might not just be about regime change. A structural revamp might be in order too.

Steve Borthwick is the favourite to be installed — now or next year — as Jones’s successor, but the union have some major factors to consider. One primary concern must be that they would be hiring a clone of Jones, who developed Borthwick as his right-hand man with Japan and england.

Leicester’s boss is in the Australian’s image, with emphasis on work-ethic, forensic detail, intensity and pragmatism. The Tigers’ revival was founded on a structured approach which does not quicken the pulse of neutrals.

england are losing their public and, of course, the primary means of reclaiming support is by winning, but there is more to it than that. They are the showcase for the sport in this country and if they set their stall out for more years of risk-averse, bash-andgrind rugby, the fans may not return in droves even if there are trophies to show for it.

The Springboks offered a useful reminder that england struggle to outmuscle heavyweight rivals, so they have to add other layers.

This season, Leicester are fifth in the Premiership, having won four, lost four and drawn one. Borthwick is battling to keep the Tigers in the play-off hunt without ellis Genge and George Ford.

Their departures last summer have undermined the champions. The arrival of Handre Pollard — to replace Ford — has been an injuryhit anti- climax, as was widely forecast. Borthwick has turned to plenty of South African clout up front, but he wouldn’t have that with england.

Make no mistake, Borthwick is a fine coach: dedicated, meticulous and shrewd, but he wouldn’t relish the wider demands of the england job.

Being the national team’s figurehead requires a willingness to face the world and communicate, but Borthwick prefers to maintain a low profile and commit all his time and energy to work on the training ground. He can get away with that at a club — just about — but not with england, when there is public apathy to tackle.

If Borthwick does get the job, there would be a chronic need for a director of rugby, to deal with the RFU board, and all the public, media, commercial and other front-of-house demands, leaving Borthwick to coach out of sight.

EXETER’S Rob Baxter would fit the bill — having become adept at embracing the wider political elements of the sport. The RFU have to consider this, if they are tempted to ignore the option of a caretaker.

If the union board come to the conclusion that installing a caretaker does make sense, it should be Warren Gatland at all costs — and not an internal promotion for Conor O’Shea. A quick glance at the latter’s dreadful record with Italy is all it should take to convince Sweeney not to hand him control of the salvage operation.

Borthwick’s rival to succeed Jones is Scott Robertson, who could be integrated under Gatland — to become familiar with the set-up before taking control after the World Cup.

The RFU must not hear a Kiwi accent and just assume the speaker is a rugby visionary, but Robertson has plenty of success on his c.v. and those who have worked with him acclaim his attributes as a man manager and tactician with a typical new Zealander’s oval-ball positivity. english rugby needs some of that.

Meanwhile, what of Jones, if the RFU dismiss him, as widely expected? He will find another job, no question — it is just a matter of how soon.

This may be laughed off as a ludicrous notion, but if Wales sack Wayne Pivac, the powers-that-be in Cardiff could do worse than approach Jones.

It would be just the sort of revival mission which is his speciality and imagine the irony if he ended up guiding Wales into a World Cup quarter-final against an england team with Gatland at the helm. What a tantalising prospect that would be.

EDDIE: I’M OUT!

First again: we broke the news on Saturday that Jones expects to be sacked