Eddie Jones enjoys winning return as skilful Barbarians outscore World XV

Boos again on Eddie Jones’s return to Twickenham but this time directed only at Israel Folau. The former Australia wing’s selection for the World XV raised eyebrows given the controversy his anti-gay social media posts caused in 2019 and he was regularly jeered by the Twickenham crowd. He scored a try, showcasing his unquestionable talent, but suffice to say he was persona non grata in south-west London.

Jones, meanwhile, escaped unscathed on his first trip back to Twickenham. He played down the significance but it was almost six months to the day after his final England match ended in resounding boos and the axe soon followed. He never liked this fixture but after this you sense his opinion has changed. There can be no doubt that he enjoyed his triumphant return. Taking charge of the Barbarians, he flashed up on the big screen just after Seta Tamanivalu’s try had sealed an entertaining victory against Steve Hansen’s World XV. Jones was beaming, grinning from ear to ear, cream secured.

Jones didn’t like this fixture because ordinarily it pits an England XV against the Barbarians and on two of the four occasions he coached in it his side were thumped by the invitational side. He used to argue those defeats should not be counted in losing streaks and after this try‑fest went as far as to say it is dishonest to market it as an “England” fixture. Four years ago, unable to pick anyone he wanted to take with him to the World Cup, he didn’t even coach the England side.

“I can speak as a former England coach,” Jones said. “I don’t think [they] should play the Barbarians, unless it’s a younger England team.

“At this time you can never pick the England team, so it shouldn’t be called England, it should be called England