EDDIE Jones has provided a damning assessment of England’s disastrous autumn campaign – and he accused the Rugby Football Union of failing the national team.

England suffered a hattrick of comprehensive Twickenham defeats to Australia (28-14), South Africa (42- 6) and New Zealand (32-6), conceding a total of 102 points and nine tries.

Jones, the Saracens director of rugby and former Australia coach, believes Martin Johnson needs to take a tighter grip of the coaching team.

He said: ‘‘The problems are across the board. England haven’t got a coherent understanding of how to attack and their defence is poor. They have conceded 100 points in three games – you won’t do anything in Test rugby if you concede 100 points.

‘‘I think Martin has to decide whether he wants to be the head coach. If he is the manager, then who is the head coach? Someone has to take responsibility for coaching the team.’’ But the main thrust of Jones’ criticism was aimed at the RFU for their lack of player development since 2004, which has left Johnson in the position of having to blood a new team against the best in the world.

England fielded six debutants during the autumn campaign while Danny Care and Danny Cipriani came into the Investec Challenge Series with just two Test starts between them.

Jones believes Johnson is having to deal with a void of experience and he said: ‘‘It is crazy. You have to ask the question – what elite development is going on in England rugby?

‘‘Look at the England side now compared to 2004 and there has basically been no development.

That team was always going to break up in 2004 and there has been no development in five years.

‘‘You have experienced players and inexperienced players and nothing in between.

‘‘That is because the structure of the game here doesn’t allow young players to develop because you haven’t got a second-tier competition.’’ Rob Andrew was appointed England’s elite rugby director in 2006, charged with overseeing player development at all levels.

‘‘If I was Rob Andrew the first thing I would be doing would be to invest in a second tier competition so that all your best young players have regular rugby,’’ said Jones.