Eddie Jones: 'England went too soft after World Cup triumph'

England captain Martin Johnson celebrates with the Webb Ellis trophy after beating Australia in the World Cup final on November 22, 2003
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Eddie Jones suggests that money was behind England's failure to push on from their 2003 World Cup success, as players fast developed a soft underbelly.

Eddie Jones has accused England's World Cup-winning players of taking their eyes off the ball and becoming too much of a soft touch.

The Red Rose claimed just one Six Nations title in the 12 years following their 2003 triumph in Sydney, until Jones guided his side to a Grand Slam at the first time of asking.

Jones believes that the failure to build on lifting the Webb Ellis Cup is down to one key reason - players developing a soft underbelly by putting commercial agreements first in some cases.

"When I was Wallabies coach in 2004, they came out for a holiday," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "We put 50 points on them in Brisbane. You cannot accept that. England rugby has never recovered.

"Commercial activity took over for England's players after that World Cup success. I don't mind players having agents and agents doing good things for them.

"If you play the game well - and that means training well - you should get financial rewards. It's when they start taking short cuts, going to a function instead of having proper recovery, that I have a problem."

England face Wales at Twickenham on Sunday afternoon in their first Test outing since winning the 2016 Six Nations.

Eddie Jones watches on during the Six Nations game between Scotland and England on February 6, 2016
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