Eddie Jones is not the first person in the sporting world to lump the entire media together as ‘YOU’RE’.
Ahead of England’s 12-6 victory over Wales, in the Six Nations, Eddie Jones told Alastair Eykyn of BT that he often uses his press conferences and interviews to speak directly to his players.
With that in mind, Mike Brown has surely got the message that his coach is fighting his corner, and ferociously so.
The Harlequins fullback has been Jones’ man in the 15 jersey for each of his 24 Test matches in charging. Jones has complete faith in him and used several of his post-match interviews at Twickenham, on Saturday, to reinforce that message.
Following the win over Wales, Jones spoke with BBC reporter Chris Jones and did not hold back.
Jones answered a question about George Ford and Owen Farrell then segued into a declaration that Brown was part of a brilliant back three effort even though ‘you guys [the media] all tell me Mike Brown can’t play Test rugby’.
When the reporter said, ‘He was just good today, wasn’t he?’, the England coach retorted.
Eddie Jones: “And now you’re telling me he’s good… ”
Chris Jones: “I don’t think that’s quite fair. Do you?”
Eddie Jones: “You guys are unbelievable. Fair dinkum! You’re unbelievable.”
Chris Jones: “In what way?”
Eddie Jones: ‘You’re always criticising him [Brown], and now he has a good game you’re all on the bandwagon!”
Chris Jones: “I don’t think you can treat the whole media as one.”
Eddie Jones: “I think we can. I think we can, and I’m sick of it, mate.”
The reporter then tried to move the interview on but Eddie Jones returned to the Brown issue again. “You guys are better selectors than we are,” he said, “that’s what you think you are and then he plays a good game and now you’re all on the bandwagon.”
'You're always criticising Mike Brown, now he has a good game you're all on the bandwagon!'
Eddie Jones didn't hold back on his opinions about media scrutiny after England's #SixNations win over Wales…
Full interview 🎙️🏉 https://t.co/z2qZGfIx2E#ENGvWAL #bbcsixnations pic.twitter.com/LKs8rU0db8
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) February 10, 2018
Jones was not finished with his namesake from the BBC.
In the post-match press conference, he told a room full of reporters, “Mike Brown takes the high ball, he carries, he plays with courage and he plays the way England want to play. And you are the guys who don’t rate him. Yeah, you are the guys that are always selecting someone else ahead of him.
“So you’re going to have to work it out, not me.”
“YOU’RE.”
That’s the media told, so.
