Jamie George Says Eddie Jones' Support Staff Created Toxic England Environment
- England hooker Jamie George revealed he considered quitting international rugby twice during the final years of Eddie Jones's reign
- George, who has 113 England caps, pointed to specific backroom staff members as a driving force behind what he described as a harmful team culture
- The 35-year-old is now in his final season with Saracens and England, with the 2027 World Cup in Australia his last major target
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Jamie George has opened up about the darkest chapter of his international rugby career, revealing that mistreatment by support staff under former head coach Eddie Jones drove him to the brink of walking away from England on two separate occasions.
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Speaking in an interview published on Tuesday 22 September 2026, the 35-year-old hooker said certain backroom staff members behaved in ways he considered unacceptable, creating an environment that left him struggling emotionally and mentally over a sustained period.
George points to support staff over Jones
While George acknowledged that Jones deliberately cultivated a demanding atmosphere, he placed a significant portion of the blame for the regime's eventual collapse on those around the head coach rather than Jones himself.
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"I think there was probably a couple of backroom staff that were particularly challenging, towards the end of Eddie's era," George said.
"The environment, as a whole, was very negative and people were treated harshly."
He described one specific situation involving a strength and conditioning coach whose treatment of players changed dramatically depending on whether they were selected to start.
George said the same staff member would offer warmth and encouragement when he was in the starting line-up, but would assign additional weight programmes and criticise his physical condition when he dropped to the bench, even when his performance data contradicted those assessments.
"That just cannot be the case," George said.
"That doesn't get the best out of people."
Jones was dismissed as England head coach in November 2022, and George believes the conduct of his support staff contributed directly to that outcome.
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A wife's words stopped him from quitting
George credited his wife with persuading him to continue during one of his lowest points. After England's victory over South Africa, she witnessed a moment of intensity from him on the pitch and told him he was not finished with the game. He said her words proved decisive.
"During that period of time, I had to go through so much emotionally and mentally," he said.
"I look back on the period with regret, purely because that is just not how it should be. Playing for your country should be the best time of your life."
Now the holder of 113 England caps and his country's fourth most-capped men's player, George is heading into his final season with Saracens and England. He has set his sights on winning a seventh Premiership title with his club and the Rugby World Cup with England in Australia in 2027.
Springboks star ruled out of the season
Briefly News also reported that a Springboks star has suffered a season-ending injury, which means he is set to be out for a long period in 2026.
The South African rugby star's injury comes as bad news for both his club and the Springboks as he's now expected to undergo surgery in a few days.
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Source: Briefly News
