All Blacks coach Steve Hansen publicly defended England opposite Eddie Jones, as the two nations prepare to meet at Twickenham this weekend.
After a rosy start to life in charge of the England side, Australian Jones has struggled in 2018, losing six of nine Tests, seeing them finish fifth in the Six Nations, before a 2-1 series defeat away to South Africa.
Speaking to media in London this morning though, Hansen had nothing but praise for both Jones and England.
"The only people who don't understand what it's like to be a head coach of an international team are the people that have never been one," Hansen said.
"There's a lot of pressure there, all the time, whether you're winning or losing, it comes just in a different wrapper.
"Eddie more than anyone understands that. The people that get excited by it are the people that have to write the stories and sell the newspapers.
"The bottom line is he'll be going about doing his job like he always does. Looking from afar, he's done a pretty good job."
Hansen also defended Jones from the label of being "brash", with the Australian's confident nature not going down well with many England fans, often misinterpreted as arrogance.
"It's his job to be confident, and you'd expect him to be confident.
"He's a passionate man, Eddie. I've got a lot of time for him, a lot of respect for him.
"He's not everybody's cup of tea, but I think he's a good man."
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