Eddie Jones on culture, risk, and advice to all coaches.

Coaching Culture with Ben Herring

Want a culture that actually lives on the field? We sat down with Eddie Jones to unpack the coaching choices that create real belonging, sharper decision-making, and braver rugby. From leaving a safe career to grinding through 100‑player university squads in Japan, Eddie shows how risk, clarity, and context build both teams and coaches who last.
We dive into designing culture through the game itself—why a clear playing model unites diverse squads better than slogans, and how fundamentals must be taught in context to transfer under pressure. Eddie breaks down why over-organization dulls vision, how to use patterns to break defenses without becoming a slave to shape, and the simple scans elite playmakers use to act faster. He shares the power of role clarity and one‑on‑one coaching to remove hidden blocks, plus practical ways to keep feedback immediate and light using just a phone.
You’ll hear the Brumbies reset story—accepting a bad year, flipping conditioning and structure, and co-creating a plan leaders owned all the way to titles. Eddie is candid about missteps too: reading the global kicking trend late, pushing change too fast, and why he still chooses boldness over comfort. We talk mentorship (keep your advice circle “super skinny”), hiring for character over credentials, and the daily routines that protect coaching energy. And yes, we go deep on tech: how to use it to accelerate learning while keeping the game flowing—goal-line and red-card TMO, let refs decide the rest.
If you’re a coach at any level, this conversation gives you a playbook: be the person players flock to, build the game that builds your culture, free minds with clarity, and take the smart risks others avoid. Listen, steal what works, and tell us the one change you’ll make this week. If this resonated, follow, share with another coach, and leave a quick review so more people find it.

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Chapters

1. Risk And Backing Yourself (00:00:00)

2. Culture Through Game Design (00:04:12)

3. Clarity, Roles, And Individual Coaching (00:07:17)

4. Unlocking Players’ Blocks One-On-One (00:11:07)

5. Taking The Leap To Coach Full-Time (00:15:07)

6. Japan Lessons: Organize And Coach Fundamentals (00:19:17)

7. Patterns vs Skills: Don’t Over-Organize (00:22:57)

8. Momentum, Leadership, And Modern Mindsets (00:27:32)

9. Be Known: Coach Well, Learn, Network With Purpose (00:31:27)

10. Steal From The Best Players (00:36:07)

11. Belonging In Japan’s Changing Club Culture (00:40:27)

12. From Struggle To Structure: Brumbies Reset (00:45:17)

13. Player Buy-In And Owning The Game Plan (00:51:07)

14. Failure, Adaptation, And The Kicking Game (00:55:17)

15. Mentors And Keeping Your Advice Group Skinny (00:58:57)