Triumphalist Eddie Jones can't resist cricket jibe after brushing aside Ireland
Eddie Jones claimed England were so dominant in their 24-12 victory over Ireland that they could have declared at half-time.
England surged up to second in the Guinness Six Nations table after George Ford, Elliot Daly and Luke Cowan-Dickie ran in tries in a one-sided demolition at Twickenham that saw the hosts lead 17-0 at half-time.
It was a performance that had shades of the World Cup knockout wins against Australia and New Zealand last autumn and Jones warned Wales and Italy that his team have additional gears for the final two rounds.
“We played with a lot of control. We read the conditions well, read the referee well and at half-time if it was a cricket game, we could have declared,” Jones said.
“We’ve been building up. I got the preparation wrong for the France game and apologised for that.
Continue reading below…
WATCH: Wales post-match press conference with head coach Wayne Pivac and captain Alun Wyn Jones after 27-23 Guinness Six Nations defeat to France in Cardiff.
“We were good against Scotland – really good against Scotland in difficult conditions – and we took another step up here. We will take another step up when we play Wales on Saturday week.
“There’s a lot more to come. We played tough in the first 40 minutes, probably took our foot off a little bit in the second half but Ireland were always going to get some ball.
“They were always going to get some refereeing calls and we had to defend pretty well, which we did.
“We were disappointed to give that try away at the end but we will need to be better against Wales.”
Jones was criticised for a number of team selections, including giving Jonathan Joseph his first start on the wing, picking Elliot Daly at full-back and naming five locks in the 23.
Former England head coach Sir Clive Woodward was the most vocal critic and Jones said: “I don’t need vindication.
SIX NATIONS RD 3 XV
6 ??
5 ???????
2 ???????
1 ??
1 ???????
– @alexshawsport selects his Rd. 3 XV #SixNations https://t.co/EIYm9R2pAj— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 23, 2020
“I pick the team that I think is right for the week but the media are so clever. You’re all clever so I’ve just got to suck it all up, enjoy what you say, try to learn from you, and maybe I can pick a better team next week.”
Andy Farrell plans to undergo a period of self-analysis following his first defeat as Ireland head coach.
The visitors paid a heavy price for their sloppy start and costly errors as the chance for a second Triple Crown in three years quickly slipped away.
PLAYER RATINGS
– @alexshawsport ???rates the English players #ENGvIRE https://t.co/kgNJJ9lscO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 23, 2020
“I wouldn’t say we were off the pace – I think they started pretty well. No excuses though because they’ve started pretty well against us before and we should have been ready for that,” said Farrell.
“We were coming here to try and win a Triple Crown and they were trying to fight to stay in the championship.
“We can assess all the bits, all the technicalities and the ramifications of accumulative errors etc, or refereeing decisions or whatever, but the reality is that they came out of the blocks hard, got on the front foot and we took a few sucker-punches.
“I need to look at myself. Were they up for it more than us? Us, going for a Triple Crown? That’s my responsibility to make sure that that shouldn’t happen, so I’ve got to look at myself first and foremost.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments