Welcome to the boom and bust world of England’s Aussie coach.
In 69 days’ time, the Red Rose should run out in Ireland with the strongest squad Jones has assembled — just eight months after he lost a series, and almost his job, against South Africa.
Having masterminded Japan’s famous World Cup shock win over the Springboks in 2015, Jones is not shy of producing miracles.
Three wins and a defeat to the All Blacks this autumn was quite an achievement, considering he was working with the weakest and most-inexperienced squad of his three-year reign.
Like a wily old prospector, Jones struck gold. He also made some of his own luck by finally bowing to pressure and sticking Owen Farrell in the No 10 shirt.
THREE HIGHS AND THREE LOWS
HIGHS
- Joe Cokanasiga England's Jonah Lomu has as many tries as caps, two. The giant is the most-exciting player to burst on the scene since Tuilagi
- Manu Tuilagi Twickenham gave him a roar usually reserved for rugby royalty such as Jonny Wilkinson. He now must stay fit after years of injuries
- Mark Wilson An unsung hero who has gone from club stalwart to Test titan. Jones said of the back-row: 'He is an outstanding, touch player'
LOWS
- Tackling technique Two high shots from Owen Farrell, two bullets dodged. The fly-half is now a marked man. He needs to lower his target point
- Full-back dilemma Elliot Daly scored a superb try and had decent moments against the Aussies but is out of position. Jones said: 'He's learning'
- Line-out frailties The All Blacks tore apart England's line-out. Ireland will pose as big a threat and there is little time to sort out the set-piece
But the rest came together. Rookies Ben Moon and Mark Wilson were unearthed in the pack and Joe Cokanasiga on the wing — with Manu Tuilagi finally getting valuable game time after his injury shock before the Springboks win.
Ireland will still feel they have England's number after their second demolition of the All Blacks in as many years put them on a new high.
And Wales have gone under the radar, blooding newcomers with their first autumn clean-sweep.
Scotland rolled the dice with selection and it did not come off with their early year hype fizzling out.
France were shocked by Fiji and Italy humbled by New Zealand elsewhere.
So the Six Nations looks to be a three-horse race and Jones is keeping his feet on the ground — despite the prospect of Lions tight-heads Kyle Sinckler and Tadhg Furlong going head-to-head in that Aviva opener on February 2.
Sinckler carried like a tank in the Wallabies whacking but his coach is most excited about the boring bits.
Jones said: “If someone drives a taxi, what have they got to be able to do? Get you from A to B safely.
“If you play tight-head prop, you have to be able to scrum. Then you can get a nice radio or a nice seat warmer in the car, all those things count.
“The main thing is that Kyle is scrummaging and that’s what he did brilliantly.
“So all those other things are add-ons, which are fantastic. We got him out of Harlequins and he was playing five or ten minutes off the bench.
“He came into Test rugby, it was all new for him. He had a meteoric rise, he went to the Lions.
“You just have to keep working with those players, keep finding a way to get them better, keep finding the right mentality and he is doing that. He wants to be the best tight-head in the world.”
The mental scars of 2018’s fifth-placed Six Nations and the Springboks smashings are gone, though one decent autumn does not make up for a whole year.
However, it does prove that if England were to crash and burn in the spring, that hangover will not linger until the World Cup kicks off against Tonga in Sapporo on September 22.
Hopefully by then, England will still have wrecking-ball Tuilagi fit after he stepped off the bench against the Wallabies for his first Test in two-plus years.
Tuilagi, though winning his 27th cap, said: “I was nervous throughout.
“We had a massive session on Wednesday and I got through that. It was contact and a fast game. I knew if I got through that I would be all right for the game — and, thank God, I got through it.
“It has been a long time so I enjoyed every minute.
“It is an amazing atmosphere. It felt like it was my first cap. Just to get back out there. I had forgotten what it was like but I loved it.”
And England have loved the autumn. No one saw that coming.
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