Friday 2 December 2016 22:42, UK
Matt Giteau believes England coach Eddie Jones "really enjoys" his public wars of words with opposing Test coaches.
Tensions have been ratcheted up ahead of England's Twickenham showdown with Australia on Saturday with coaches Jones and Michael Cheika trading verbal salvos all week.
Australia's 103-cap playmaker Giteau has been coached at the Wallabies by both Jones and Cheika - but believes of the two Jones is the more natural-born sledger.
"I don't think Cheik's overly-big on that type of thing happening in the press," said Giteau.
"When he's had enough he lets people know, but Eddie for me, it looks like he really enjoys it. He's smiling there, and cracking jokes.
"That's just part and parcel of the coach, his personality.
"He's cheeky, that's his personality, he enjoys stirring the pot a little. But at the same time he's very professional in everything he does."
Giteau excelled as Jones led Australia to the 2003 World Cup final, and continues to set standards at Toulon.
The 34-year-old featured in Australia's run to the 2015 World Cup final under Cheika too, but remains fairly confident he has now played his last Test for his country.
Jones and Cheika have spent the week's build-up to Saturday's Twickenham clash accusing each other's side of illegal scrummaging.
Cheika claimed Jones had tarnished his legacy in his homeland of Australia with his conduct during England's 3-0 Test series whitewash of the Wallabies down under in June.
Then Jones insisted Australia's media had treated his side with "disrespect" but Giteau believes the England coach simply cannot turn off that talkative element of his personality.
"He was the same when he used to play touch football, where the coaching staff would get involved in a game once a week," said Giteau.
"He's the one who just barks throughout the whole game, just having a go at the opposition - 'that's not how you run, what type of line's that?' - the whole game. "And he's playing at the same time.
"At the end of the day either coach would just be happy with a victory.
"That's what they're here for. It's Test match footy and you just want to win it, it doesn't matter how you win or who said what before the game. It's just about the win, and the winning coach will be happy."
