Felix Jones is officially no longer an RFU employee after he was finally allowed to formally quit on Friday as Steve Borthwick’s England team defence coach. It was last August when it emerged that the Irishman, a double Rugby World Cup winner assisting South Africa, wanted to leave just eight matches into his new job.
Jones came on board Borthwick’s staff at the start of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations but just weeks after the three-match summer tour to Japan and New Zealand had ended, it was revealed that he wanted out after just eight months.
The RFU didn’t acceded to Jones’ request at the time, deciding instead to make him work out his notice period remotely away from Borthwick’s squad.
With Joe El-Abd appointed defence coach, Jones was tasked with providing analysis on England’s opposition but there was confusion last month during the Autumn Nations Series as to whether he was still working as attack coach Richard Wigglesworth admitted in the week of the South Africa match that he had no contact with Jones.
A Friday statement finally confirming Jones’ exit read: “The RFU can confirm that England Rugby men’s assistant coach Felix Jones will step down from his role today (Friday 13 December).”
The decision last August by Jones to quit created shockwaves as he had no alternative job lined up. He has since been linked with the head coach vacancy in Munster following the late October departure of Graham Rowntree.
