Eddie Jones is just the right man for England... we all love working with him, says Danny Care

Was last year’s Six Nations merely a blip for England or the start of a wider malaise? The answer will come over the space of four potentially enlightening or torrid November weeks.

For now, the fanfare which greeted Eddie Jones’s arrival as England head coach in the wake of the 2015 Rugby World Cup horror show has been replaced by those questioning both his selections and tactical nous in the wake of England’s worst-ever Six Nations finish — fifth — six months ago.

But Harlequins’ Danny Care, currently at England’s short training camp in Bristol ahead of the autumn series, is adamant Jones is the only person to lead England back to winning ways.

“Without a doubt, he’s the right man for the job,” said England’s most capped scrum-half. “Just look at his record. He took us from where we were after the 2015 World Cup to go on that amazing run. People forget that.

“I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him. He’s always backed me and been honest with me.

“I love working with him and the coaches he puts around him. He creates an environment where the players feel free to express themselves.”

When Jones was named in the top spot on a four-year deal, England had just failed to qualify from their group in their home World Cup.

The fall-out led to Stuart Lancaster’s departure and, in the wake of Jones’s Japan side’s shock win over South Africa, he was snapped up to become England’s first foreign head coach.

England went on to be unbeaten throughout the 2016 calendar year, winning a first Six Nations Grand Slam in 13 years. The only blip came the following year when they lost to Ireland in Dublin when chasing a second Slam.

“That run we went on after the World Cup with Eddie was unbelievable, amazing really,” added Care. “The problem is now people think we should be doing that all the time, but teams worked out what we were doing and other teams improved — and there’s some pretty good teams out there.

“During that time, people also forget we had some luck and the bounce of the ball on our side. But, admittedly, those last six Tests before the win in South Africa [the last of the three-Test summer tour] have been tough.

“But Eddie’s the right man to lead and we have another chance this autumn to see where we are against the best in the world.”

With the World Cup less than a year away, Care is not about to bad-mouth the man who calls England’s shots and decides Care’s own international future. But he is adamant the praise is genuine, regardless of the role he might play in the ensuing months.

The 31-year-old has flitted in and out of the Australian’s starting line-up, predominantly sharing the No9 jersey with Leicester’s Ben Youngs. He seemed to move into the ascendancy during the Six Nations, when he started three of the five games and was the only scrum-half to play in all five.

That Jones saw to single out Care as a player to rest for the summer tour initially hurt, but when reflecting on the decision and having previously played in all 28 Tests under him, Care admitted an initially tough call was, in a way, a boost.

“I love playing for England and I was desperate to go on tour,” said Care, who was speaking at an event for the QIPCO British Champions Series. “But I know I hadn’t had a break for a long time and feeling this refreshed makes you realise it was the right call.”

Returning to duty with England has merely reignited his own ambitions and emulating Jones’s own long-stated aim of winning the World Cup.

“The dream goal from Eddie has always been to win the World Cup,” he said. “We’ll be doing all we can to achieve that.”

Much has been made of Jones’s decision to omit Danny Cipriani from the training squad, a hint, despite his superb start at Gloucester, that the fly-half is barely on the fringes of his thinking.

But Care is confident his friend can find a way back into Jones’s squad: “There’s some brilliant competition in his position but I know Danny will keep fighting for his place. He can easily force his way back into the World Cup squad. There will be a lot of changes between this squad in September and the one that goes to Japan. And that’s what keeps you on your toes as an England player.”

QIPCO British Champions Day takes place at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, October 20. For tickets go to britishchampionsday.com