England coach Eddie Jones has been involved in an awkward BBC interview after being asked why he continues to make incendiary pre-match comments.
Jones continually refused to address the question of persistent BBC interviewer Sonja McLaughlan as the interview threatened to head down a blind alley.
The England coach has come under fire this week after his comments ahead of England's defeat to France backfired spectacularly.
Jones had warned France to expect 'absolute brutality' prior to his team meekly surrendering in Paris, and the France players later admitted his comments had motivated them.
Watch the interview here.
It wasn't the first time Jones has sparked controversy heading into a match. In 2018 he targeted Wales outside-half Rhys Patchell, questioning whether he could handle the pressure of international rugby. He has also recently used similar tactics against Wayne Pivac and also made an insinuation about referee Nigel Owens before last week's game.
And, ahead of Scotland v England on Saturday afternoon, McLaughlan asked Jones why he said such things.
Jones responded in difficult fashion, saying: "Well, I'm happy not to. OK, this is an easy interview."
When it was suggested he knew exactly what was being asked of him, and that he always chose not to play a straight bat, he replied again: "Well, I'll just play the straight bat now. This is the easiest interview I've ever done.
He refused to be drawn a further three times, but McLaughlan wasn't giving up, saying: "Why don't you want to answer the question?"
The difficult exchange continued before McLaughlan said: "You're a bright man, you're clever, you're intelligent, you know exactly what you are doing and I'm intrigued as to why you do it?
Eventually the interviewer got her reward as Jones admitted: "I enjoy doing it. It's easy not to say anything but I think you've got a responsibility to create the theatre of the game, to paint a picture of how you want your players to play and sometimes to paint a picture to the opposition. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."
