Jones says rugby league is not skilful

England rugby union coach Eddie Jones has described rugby league as not being a skilful game as hr prepares to hand former NRL star Ben Te’o his international debut.

Jones has made a habit of poaching rugby league players to the 15-man code during his coaching career.

The Australian signed Kangaroos and Queensland Origin trio Wendell Sailer, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers to Australia‘s Wallabies over a decade ago.

Jones also encouraged NRL players Peter Ryan and Clinton Shicofske to make the switch to union in Australia, then he snapped up NSW, Roosters and Kangaroo utility Craig Wing to play in Japan.

Now he is getting ready to give former South Sydney forward Te’o an international cap.

Jones told Brisbane’s Courier-Mail that Sam Burgess would have succeeded in rugby union with more time.

“Burgess was a non-event in England’s confused strategy at the World Cup but he would have been an excellent Test player if he’d had the will to stick at it,” he said.

“Rugby league is not a skilful game, it’s a game where you’ve got to hurt people.

“Tough guys like Te’o bring something extra to a squad, a bit of an intangible.

“There is a massively high correlation between players who have been successful Origin players and then made a really good fist of rugby.

“If they haven’t done that or come across as a hopeful NRL first grader there’s a huge correlation with them being average rugby players.”