EXCLUSIVE: Ex-England head coach Eddie Jones calls Danny Cipriani’s claims he asked about sex life with ex Kirsty Gallacher ‘bloody nonsense’ and says his stories from his book are an ‘absurd fabrication’

Eddie Jones has dismissed Danny Cipriani’s claims against him that he pestered him with inappropriate questions about his former girlfriend, TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, as “absurd” and “an invention”.

The former England head coach, now back in charge of his native Australia, has responded to the allegations in Cipriani’s autobiography Who Am I? In it, the former England fly-half recounted a dinner conversation in 2016, saying: “Eddie will come over and sit next to me.”

“The first words out of his mouth are, ‘Dude, doesn’t Kirsty Gallacher live around here?’ Haven’t you shagged her? What is she like?”

“I just split from Kirsty after a short relationship and I don’t want to talk about it with my head coach or anyone else.”

“Eddie keeps pecking, like a horny teenager, and I end up telling him straight out, ‘Eddie, I don’t want to talk about this, I’m uncomfortable.'”

Eddie Jones has denied Danny Cipriani’s claims that he asked inappropriate questions about his ex-girlfriend, TV presenter Kristy Gallacher

The former England star (right) and Gallacher (left) dated briefly

Jones is busy preparing his Wallabies side for Saturday’s World Cup opener against Georgia, but when contacted by Mail Sport, he dismissed Cipriani’s remarks, saying: “We didn’t have a close relationship so I’ll hardly be referring to it let in.” such a conversation with him.

“To be perfectly honest, it’s a complete invention. We didn’t choose him. If players don’t get picked, they always have a problem – we know that.

“He’s selling a book, so nothing surprises me when players want to sell books.” It’s absurd. It’s almost too absurd to talk about.

“I think it’s very sad for him that he feels like he has to do something to sell his book.”

When asked if he ever discussed Kirsty Gallacher in any way with Cipriani, Jones said, “I don’t recall that.”

And when asked if he was concerned about the allegations, he added: ‘This is just fucking nonsense.’ If anyone is stupid enough to pay attention to this, then good luck to them.’

Jones is known to be tough on his players and uncompromising in his approach, but categorically denied having discussed sexual matters with Cipriani.

Cipriani alleged that Jones allegedly asked questions of a sexual nature about Gallacher

The former England manager said he had no close relationship with Cipriani

Jones dismissed Cipriani’s allegations as “complete fabrications” and “absolute nonsense.”

“That’s hardly the kind of language I would use,” he said.

“That’s not how I talk to players.” In all the years I’ve been a coach, there have been very few such conversations with players.

“That’s not to say I haven’t had a conversation like this before, but there have been very few — and certainly not with Cipriani.”

Throughout his years as a coach, Jones was often hostile and confrontational, but he denied ever having been accused of any such improper conduct before. “I can never remember it,” he said.

“And if there had been, it would have been in the newspapers.

Jones prepares the Wallabies for the Rugby World Cup opener against Georgia

“I have learned to keep an appropriate distance. You don’t train as long as I’ve trained without keeping the appropriate distance.

“I get criticized for being too harsh – now someone is trying to pretend I know the players too well. ‘Find out what you want from me!’

His player-coach relationship with Cipriani was known to be strained and strained, but Jones claimed that the last contact between them was cordial in sad circumstances.

He said: “I texted him as a courtesy when his former girlfriend committed suicide to ask if he was okay.”