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Has Eddie Jones handed hurting Wales their November 28 team talk with description of next weekend's England vs Ireland game?
Eddie Jones could perhaps have given struggling Wales their dressing room team talk for the November 28 Autumn Nations Cup meeting with England at Llanelli on November 28. The Welsh have been struggling since Wayne Pivac took over the reins from Warren Gatland, the defeat to Ireland in Dublin on Friday night being their sixth loss in succession.
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However, they twice beat Jones’ England in Wales in 2019, winning 21-13 in a February Six Nations meeting and emerging winners again 13-6 in an August pre-World Cup warm-up.
Both those games took place in front of a capacity Principality Stadium crowd and while their next clash will be behind closed doors at Parc Y Scarlets, winning away in Wales should surely still be classed as a difficult assignment.
Jones, though, has instead labelled England’s meeting next weekend with Ireland as “the most important game of the year” for his recently crowned Six Nations champions.
Speaking in the aftermath of the 40-0 London win over Georgia, Jones looked ahead to Autumn Nations Cup round two and said: “It’s always an interesting week. We have got a great squad of 30-odd players who are all competing for spots.
PLAYER RATINGS
– @alexshawsport 👨💻 rates the English player's performances #ENGvGEO in the @autumnnations. Lots of 6s but there is a 8 and a 9 in there: https://t.co/jrxT80NQXN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2020
“We realise the Ireland game is going to be the most important game of the year, so we will have a good preparation. Ireland will be cock-a-hoop after their big win against Wales, so they will come with plenty of confidence and swagger.”
While Wales were soundly defeated in Dublin on a 32-9 scoreline, they would still believe they are capable of going toe to toe with England on home ground.
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However, Jones’ remark suggesting that playing Ireland at Twickenham rather than facing Wales away was their most important game in 2020 was an indication perhaps of how far off the pedestal the 2019 Grand Slam champions and World Cup semi-finalists have fallen with Pivac at the helm.
Quite the claim after 6️⃣ losses on the bounce, the ruthless sacking of the defence coach and the embarrassing first-half replacement of a prop #IREvWAL #AutumnNationsCuphttps://t.co/Y7ujy0CZZI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Ah, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
48 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
22 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.
22 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. 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.
22 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.
22 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.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
22 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
17 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to comments