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Eddie Jones has warned that players not committed to keeping fit during the lockdown will come back in “terrible” condition when rugby resumes.
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The England head coach, who was speaking in an online coaching class, believes the coronavirus pandemic is a major test of players’ discipline.
Training alone could be a real challenge for some players, especially with them long being in an environment where coaches structure sessions.
Jones feels this will be a serious issue for those away from their clubs and also urged them to try and look outside the box in terms of development.
“You are going to find out about your players, you are going to find out which of your players really want to get better and which players only want to get better to keep the coach happy,” he said.
“Some players will come out of this better, some players will come out of this terrible. How your team comes out of it, you don’t know. But the big thing for the team is not what you do now, it’s what you do when you get back together.”
This past week the July internationals were postponed, meaning the likelihood of a return to rugby action remains a distant prospect in Europe.
“I would encourage each player to develop a new skill,” Jones added when asked for his advice for players.
“Can they develop an offload skill out of the back. Again, look at their favourite player, see what skill they’ve got, and see if they can develop it.”
