The rugby world was put on notice last week when Felix Jones made a sensational return to the South African coaching setup after a brief, whirlwind stint with England. And while head coach Rassie Erasmus insists Jones’ short-lived tenure at Twickenham wasn’t some elaborate espionage mission, it’s clear the Springboks plan to exploit every nugget of intel their assistant coach picked up during his time in the enemy camp!
Jones, a back-to-back Rugby World Cup winner with South Africa, was recruited by England as their defence coach in January 2024. But just seven months later, he called it quits, leaving many to speculate about the real reason behind his departure. Now back in familiar green and gold, Jones’ newfound knowledge of England and their northern-hemisphere rivals could be the Springboks’ secret weapon as they prepare to conquer Europe once again.
“I don’t want people to think it was at all a plan to get him over there and come back again,” Erasmus said, addressing the swirling conspiracy theories. “We all hoped for him that it would work out, and I can’t comment on why it didn’t at England. But getting him back is fantastic because we never wanted to lose him.”
But whether or not Jones’ time in England was part of some master plan, the fact remains: he now holds insider knowledge on England’s inner workings. And while the Springboks don’t face the Red Roses in 2025, they will battle France, Italy, Ireland, and Wales—teams Jones studied up close from the other side of the trenches.
“Obviously, Felix will have learned a lot, and we would love him to share some of those things with us,” Erasmus admitted, hinting at the tactical goldmine Jones now represents. “We do think there are little things we have missed where we can do better, and Felix is going to play a pretty vital role in that.”
The 37-year-old previously focused on attack and core skills for South Africa, but his defensive deep-dive in England makes him an even greater asset to the Boks. His insight into Six Nations strategies could be the edge South Africa needs to maintain their dominance on the world stage.
“We’re not playing England [in 2025], but we will in the future, and he will have coached against the other Six Nations teams,” Erasmus added with a knowing grin. “If we do our hard work first, those small little edges might help us, which Felix will bring.”
Meanwhile, England has scrambled to fill the void left by Jones, hiring Joe El-Abd as their new defence coach and shifting towards a more coordinated approach rather than relying on an ultra-aggressive defensive line speed. Will it be enough to fend off a resurgent South African side armed with insider knowledge? Only time will tell.
For now, one thing is certain: Felix Jones is back, and will no doubt play a key role in the Boks drive for a third consecutive World Cup title in 2027.
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