Eddie Jones says he was 'physically and verbally abused' after Calcutta Cup defeat - BBC Sport
England head coach Eddie Jones says he was physically and verbally abused when he travelled back from Scotland on Sunday.
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union

England head coach Eddie Jones says he was physically and verbally abused on his way back from Scotland and will no longer travel by public transport.

The Australian travelled alone in standard class on the 09:15 GMT from Edinburgh to Manchester Oxford Road on Sunday after England's 25-13 defeat.

Jones was verbally abused outside the station after posing for a picture.

A man then opened the door of Jones' car to direct further abuse before the driver and another man intervened.

British Transport Police (BTP) told BBC Sport it received a report of a further incident as Jones travelled on the train from Manchester to London later that day.

Officers met the train at Euston, after a report of verbal abuse towards a man on board. No arrests were made but enquiries continue.

Virgin Trains said it would "cooperate fully" with the BTP in any investigation.

Speaking on Wednesday, about using public transport, Jones said: "I'll make sure I won't in future. It's as simple as that."

It is not clear whether the men who confronted Jones outside Oxford Road station - shown in a video obtained by BBC sports editor Dan Roan - were rugby supporters.

Scottish Rugby said on Thursday it was "appalled" by the verbal abuse suffered by the England head coach.

"The disgusting behaviour of those involved does not represent the values of our sport or its fans," it said in a statement. "The dignity Eddie and the England team showed on Saturday is in stark contrast to this ugly incident."

Jones claims comments made by Scotland great Gavin Hastings did not help.

Former Scotland and Lions captain Hastings, who won 67 international caps, said opposing supporters of Jones' team wanted to "rub his face in the dirt".

"I'm a human being. I don't consider myself any different from anyone else, so for me to travel on public transport I thought was OK," added Jones.
• None 'I'm cool with the Queen fat-shaming me'

"I can't because it was shown what happens when I do. That's the world we live in. I was massively surprised. It wasn't comfortable."

Jones travelled from Scotland to watch Manchester United's Premier League win against Chelsea as a guest of former Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

After the match, he completed the final leg of his six-hour journey to London.

When asked whether the abuse was physical or verbal, Jones replied: "A bit of both.

"It's part of the challenge. As an Australian coaching England, there were always going to be challenges and that's just one of them."

Jones believes Hastings should have chosen his words more carefully and also referenced Scotland prop Simon Berghan's pre-Calcutta Cup claim that "everyone hates England".

"It magnifies that if you're in a position of responsibility you've got to be careful what you say," said Jones.

"Because if you talk about hate and you talk about rubbing peoples' nose in the dirt, and all those sorts of things, it incites certain behaviours and are they the sorts of behaviours that we want to see?"

Scott Hastings, the former Scotland centre and brother of Gavin, criticised the behaviour of the supporters who abused Jones, calling the incident "disgusting behaviour from a bunch of drunk idiots".

"I am really upset about this. These despicable idiots are a disgrace," tweeted the 53-year-old former Lion.

"We need to find them, name and shame them and fine them for public disorder and harassment."