Tuesday 21 June 2016 17:09, UK
Brian Carney who played both union and league for Ireland, looks at what Eddie Jones can learn from rugby league.
Eddie Jones is a maestro and has played the media like a fiddle. He does it better than anyone else in rugby and it is a stark contrast to the previous England regime. Eddie will always use the media to his advantage and is always a step or two ahead.
One week he calls rugby league unskillful and the next he invites the most skillful rugby league players ever to work with his players.
I don't think for one minute that he thinks rugby league is not skillful, but he was very aware that he needed to promote a game of rugby union in a country where it is seen as a poor relations to league.
So in the middle of the NRL season and State of Origin, what better way to get people's attention than to have a pop at their national sport?
I know Jones is a huge admirer of league. He is a fan of the players and the coaches and he knows he can learn from league to help England get even better.
Time and time again, we see union come to league - not just for their players and their coaches, but for their systems and their plays.
I always remember Leinster talking about one of their back line moves. At the time, Leinster were one of the best attacking teams in Europe with players like Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Shane Horgan but they had a move called the 'Gidley' after league legend Matt Gidley. What a compliment.
Rugby league is at the forefront of defensive play and of attacking plays - cross-field kicking is taken for granted in league, but it has come as a revelation in union in recent years.
Defensive plays, defensive systems, attacking plays and attacking kicking - so much of what I see in union has originated in league and Jones is astute enough to know this.
It is no surprise at all that Jones has got Andrew Johns down to pick his brains and to let his players have access to one of the greatest attacking league players ever.
The great Dan Carter cited Johns as one of his inspirations - you show me a better rugby union player in the last 15 years than Dan Carter.
Johns has of course got previous as he did some coaching with South African Super Rugby side the Sharks way back in 2009 and I think he will have a lot to offer.
I love Eddie Jones and I would have loved to have played for him. He is a real players' coach and he is going to do some brilliant things with England and of course he will keep the media on their toes and guessing his next move.
