Mike Brown lifts lid on X-rated Eddie Jones row and rubbishes Ben Te'o fight claims

England can't afford many complaints from a 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign in which they finished second to South Africa, but the contest dredges up sour memories for Mike Brown.

The former Harlequins full-back—who has made more appearances for the club than any other player—was left out of Eddie Jones ' squad after a fight between him and team-mate Ben Te'o shortly before the competition. The squad had travelled to Treviso for some pre-tournament preparations, but both Brown and Te'o missed the flight to Japan following their melee in Italy.

Convinced his form and reputation should have been enough to bag him a spot among the squad, however, the 72-cap star doesn't believe the coach's reasoning was justified. Both regarded as fiery characters of their craft, Brown even decided to squeeze Jones for details on whether he was genuine.

"That wasn't the reason why I didn't go to the World Cup," he told former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton for RugbyPass. "I think it was just easier for Eddie to put it on that, as I'd kind of been getting pushed out of the team as that season had gone on.

"Then a few days later, when Eddie's ringing around people to say they're not involved, he kind of puts it on that. I said to him: 'Look, I understand selection is what it is, but don't put it on that. You haven't even asked me what happened.' With all due respect, I didn't really do anything. I don't feel like it was my fault. I hadn't drunk much, two drinks or whatever. There were people in a worse state than me and I was just trying to mind my own business. So he just switched and turned on me, effing and blinding. It wasn't nice.

It was then that Brown told Jones to "just be a man" and tell him the real reason, because he felt it was