Danny Cipriani makes feelings clear on Eddie Jones as he accuses ex-England coach

Danny Cipriani has become the latest former England player to criticise Eddie Jones' coaching methods, accusing the Australian of an overly confrontational approach and insisting he is "not someone that I'd want to lead my country."

The comments made by Cipriani, who won just two caps under Jones and was left out of the final 31-man squad for the 2019 World Cup during his tenure, echo similar accusations by scrum-half Danny Care, who described a toxic environment akin to a "dictatorship" in his recent autobiography.

The 37-year-old Cipriani is preparing to pull on his boots for the first time in two years on Sunday when he takes part in a unique hybrid match at Headingley to raise funds to research and support those living with Motor Neurone Disease, contrived by the late Rob Burrow and Cipriani's former England team-mate Ed Slater, who was diagnosed in 2022.

READ MORE: Today's rugby news as Gatland explains coach's visible annoyance and chief reveals WRU fears

READ MORE: Brian O'Driscoll video pulled after he names Gareth Davies as Wales' greatest ever player

Reflecting on his abridged international career under Jones, Cipriani said: "My experiences of Eddie are he probably felt that I would stand up to him too much and he didn't feel like he could bully me, so he just didn't bring me into the environment.

"I'm not here to bash Eddie, (but) as an individual he's not somebody that I'd want to lead my country, because of the way he carries himself.

"That's his experience of the world. I know he's had a tough one and he's got his chip on his shoulder and he leads with that everywhere he goes, and he's always in a fight.

"I don't think he's happy with the way he's behaving and the way he is. I think it's all he knows how to do, so I also have compassion for him."

Cipriani was widely credited with having saved Jones' job in 2018 by setting up the try that secured a victory against South Africa in the final Test with the Springboks having already taken a 2-0 lead, in what was to be the last of his 16 appearances for England.

Jones led England to consecutive Six Nations Championships and the 2019 World Cup final, but his reign petered out amid increasing questions over his coaching style.

Cipriani, who is now based in Los Angeles, added: "You can win games in rugby doing whatever you want to do, because we've got so many good players, but I don't really judge you as a coach on that.

"It's more how do you uplift a nation, how do you inspire players and get them play outside of themselves. When coaches do that then I'm listening.

"I found Eddie difficult in that sense, because I was turning water into wine one season and he didn't even pick me, so it was mad."