4. James Haskell
Former England flanker James Haskell has been another vocal critic of Woodward’s approach to punditry, particularly his unrelenting critiques of Eddie Jones.
In an interview with The Mirror, Haskell praised Jones for his management style and questioned Woodward’s persistent negativity. “It’s a hard one for me because the only person who appears to never be happy when Eddie Jones is doing well is Clive Woodward,” Haskell said.
Haskell further noted, “Clive hasn’t coached in rugby since 2005 and really has no concept of what’s going on in the set-up. He’s desperate to pick this job up between Eddie and the RFU… I find it astounding.”
5. Simon Raiwalui
Following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Woodward announced his departure from ITV’s rugby punditry team, where he had been a staple for years. While the news was met with disappointment from some, others were quick to express their relief. One such figure was Simon Raiwalui, the former Fiji head coach and current World Rugby high-performance pathways manager.
In a cutting remark shared with The Times, Raiwalui simply stated, “The rugby public instantly got smarter!” – a clear swipe at Woodward’s often polarising presence in the media.
Sir Clive Woodward’s legacy as a World Cup-winning coach remains untarnished, but his strong opinions and willingness to call out both players and coaches have certainly earned him his fair share of detractors. From Joe Marler’s Twitter rebukes to Eddie Jones’ public scorn, it’s clear that Woodward’s influence still stirs strong emotions across the rugby world.