Rugby chiefs apologise to coach Jones
SCOTTISH Rugby has condemned the abuse suffered by England coach Eddie Jones at the hands of a number of Scotland supporters as “disgusting behaviour”.
The Australian revealed he feared for his safety after being targeted with verbal and physical abuse while catching a train on the morning after England’s Calcutta Cup defeat at Murrayfield.
He was travelling alone in standard class from Edinburgh to Manchester to be a guest of Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s Premier League football game with Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Jones also said that he received similarly vile treatment from so-called fans while making the journey from Manchester to London. The rugby union veteran has now resolved to not use public transport again.
A Scottish Rugby statement said: “The disgusting behaviour of those involved does not represent the values of our sport or its fans.
“The dignity Eddie and the England team showed on Saturday is in stark contrast to this ugly incident.”
I try to do the right thing by the fans. But, if this happens, you’ve got to look at your own safety
Video footage obtained by the BBC’s sports editor, Dan Roan, shows Mr Jones posing for selfies with fans, who then turn on him.
The 58-year-old said: “I’m a human being. I don’t consider myself any different from anyone else so, for me to travel on public transport I thought was OK, but I’ll make sure I won’t in future. It’s as simple as that.
“I can’t because it was shown on Sunday what happens when I do. That’s the world we live in. I was massively surprised. It wasn’t comfortable.”
When asked whether the abuse was physical or verbal, Jones replied: “A bit of both. It’s part of the challenge. As an Australian coaching England, there were always going to be challenges and that’s just one of them.”
Mr Jones casts his experience in the light of an interview given last week by Scotland great Gavin Hastings, while also referencing Scottish prop Simon Berghan’s pre-Calcutta Cup claim that “everyone hates England”.
England coach Eddie Jones verbally abused by Scotland fans
The full-back, who won 67 caps, was quoted as saying: “As a supporter of one of his opponents, you just want to rub his face in the dirt.”
Mr Jones believes they should have chosen their words more carefully due to the influence they wield.
He said: “It magnifies that if you’re in a position of responsibility you’ve got to be careful what you say.
“Because, if you talk about hate and you talk about ‘rubbing people’s nose in the dirt’ and all those sorts of things, it incites certain behaviours and are they the sorts of behaviours that we want to see?”
Part of Mr Jones’ frustration with the events of Sunday is borne out of his willingness to engage with supporters.
He stressed: “I never knock back a request for a selfie, unless I’m racing to somewhere. So I try to do the right thing by the fans. But, if this happens, you’ve got to look at your own safety.”
Ex-Scotland international turned radio host John Beattie tweeted: “Hi @EnglandRugby all right minded Scots will be ashamed of the abuse of Eddie Jones by drunken Scots. Most of us regard our country as having moved on from a myopic view of England. I am so angry. Eddie Jones you shouldn’t have to go through this so sorry.”
And Scots fans also blasted what had happened to Jones. Sandy McIver wrote: “They should be tracked down and banned from rugby matches an embarrassment to Scotland.”
Another posted: “It’s outrageous, Eddie was very dignified with the defeat and made no excuses, those guys wouldn’t know a rugby pitch if they saw one. Neds is the best way to describe them.”