RUGBY:Eddie Jones has stepped down as Saracens director of rugby with immediate effect, the club announced today. Coaching co-ordinator Richard Graham will take charge of the Guinness Premiership club until the end of the season.
Jones, the former Australia head coach, had originally been due to leave the club in the summer. He had lined up a two-year coaching post with Japanese club Suntory.
No explanation for Jones’ immediate departure was provided by the club but he is known to be unhappy with the current management regime at Saracens.
Jones officially cited “personal reasons” when announcing he would be leaving Saracens at the end of the season, making way for Brendan Venter to take over as director of rugby.
Only this morning, when confirming his deal with Suntory, Jones was quoted on the Saracens official website as saying: “Obviously, my complete focus for the rest of the English season is with Saracens.
“We have six games remaining in the Guinness Premiership and a home European quarter-final as we look to finish the season strongly in both competitions.”
Jones has been angered by the club’s decision to inform 15 players, including seasoned internationals like Chris Jack and club stalwarts like Kevin Sorrell, they would be released at the end of the season.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. Some of the guys have been in tears all week, and yesterday there was a meeting with lawyers,” Jones said at the time.
“I’m 100 per cent disappointed. I brought my family here and I wanted to build a strong club, the best in Europe.
“There’s never a right time for this. The impact of culling so many of your best players has a massive effect on the club. But I’ve told the players I am fighting their corner, and my job is to leave the club in the best shape I can. I guarantee I will.”
The English Professional Rugby Players’ Association is seeking assurances from Saracens that all payments and benefits due to 12 players who were still under contract will be met in full.
Graham is also due to leave Saracens at the end of the season to take up the post of skills coach with the Australia.
