Jones names the 'most professional' player he has ever coached
Eddie Jones has spoken enthusiastically about the continued value of Jonny May to his England set-up. The Gloucester winger is one of just six starters from last March’s miserable loss to Ireland in Dublin to be retained in the XV that will start this Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series opener versus Tonga at Twickenham.
While the 31-year-old May had the seasoned Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson for company in the England back three against the Irish, both of those 2021 Lions tour picks are now unavailable through injury.
That has resulted in May becoming by far the most senior figure in this sector of the team as the 66-cap left winger will have the 20-year-old, two-cap Freddie Steward alongside at full-back with the one-cap 23-year-old Adam Radwan occupying the right wing berth.
This combination is likely to draw much leadership skills from May to ensure the rookies accompanying him in the back three can cut the mustard in a fixture that is matchday one as England begin the countdown 22 months out from the start of the 2023 World Cup.
“Jonny May is a very experienced player, understand the game well, is the consummate professional,” enthused Jones. “I don’t think I have ever coached a player who is more professional than Jonny, so his ability to read the game, communicate what is important to Freddie and Adam is going to be really important for us.
After all the hype, Marcus Smith was only named as the England No22 on a day when even Robin Hood got a mention from Eddie Jones at his media briefing #AutumnNationsSeries #England #ENGvTONhttps://t.co/h6GtRWNtSj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 4, 2021
“We want trademark games out of them,” continued the coach when asked specifically what he hopes to see from Steward and Radwan. “To play with a lot of effort, a lot of control and get the opportunity to bring their special talents to the game. Both have come through a summer series, been back to their clubs, played well and they have come into the more senior squad and continued to impress.”
Especially Steward who had Jones drawing comparisons between the youngster and ex-England full-back Mike Brown. “He is a similar sort of player to Mike Brown but a much taller version, courageous in the air, good work rate around the field and goodness me, if he can be as good as Mike Brown he is going to be a good player.”
Also featured in the England backline selection conversation ahead of Saturday’s series opener was Manu Tuilagi, who is set to make his first appearance at Test level since his March 2020 red card versus Wales.
“Certainly all his preparation has been first class. He is in great physical condition. Sale have done an outstanding job with him and we would really like to thank Alex Sanderson and their staff for what they have done to Manu. It is like he is going to win his first cap on Saturday at the moment so we are all excited about what we are going to see from him.”
Eddie Jones referenced an All Black when explaining the logic of naming Tom Curry as the England No8 to face Tonga#AutumnNationsSeries #England #ENGvTON #AllBlacks
https://t.co/IIc0FYr25K— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 4, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
2 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments