EDDIE JONES has always been terrible with numbers; maybe that is why so few of his public statements add up.
The vastly experienced Australian will launch his second stint with Japan tomorrow by sending a callow Brave Blossoms line-up into battle against England in Tokyo.
Jones will be itching to put one over his former protege Steve Borthwick, who succeeded him as England coach and then promptly torched his mentor's legacy.
Borthwick will be every inch as eager to flex his coaching muscles against a man from whom he learned so much but would emulate only in part.
The master-apprentice narrative could prove compelling, but only if Jones's inexperienced side can generate a true Test against England's full-strength line-up.
Amid doubts whether that battle of coaching wills can stack up, several of Jones's latest claims certainly do not.
He even admitted that accuracy on figures is not his strong point yesterday, when failing to find the mental arithmetic on how many scrums England veteran Dan Cole might have faced in his lengthy Test career.
This story is from the June 21, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the June 21, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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