'I don't think there is anything to learn from bad refereeing'
England are hoping to be reinforced for the next stage of their Guinness Six Nations by the return of several frontline players from injury, including explosive centre Manu Tuilagi.
Eddie Jones’ team revived their title hopes by claiming a bonus-point victory over Italy in Rome that lifted them to second in the table ahead of their showdown with Wales at Twickenham on Saturday week.
Adding to their options in selection could be a number of established internationals who have missed the opening two rounds through injury.
Tuilagi’s comeback from a torn hamstring has gathered pace in Sale’s colours and flanker Courtney Lawes could finally complete his recovery from concussion in time to face Wales.
Joe Launchbury’s vast second row experience would be invaluable now that he has proved his fitness for Wasps following a lengthy spell out because of a knee operation and Lewis Ludlam is due back from the rib cartilage damage incurred against Scotland.
“Potentially we’ll have Launchbury, Tuilagi, Lawes and Ludlam, so there are a few that could come back into the squad,” head coach Jones said.
“We’d be hopeful that by the end of next week Courtney will be training fully. He’s making some great progress and the medical staff have done some terrific work with him.
“He’s not far away now and we’re really hopeful he’ll be back in full training and able to play against Wales.”
Of the returnees, it will be Tuilagi that adds the most with England missing his muscular presence in a midfield that has lacked punch.
Henry Slade has performed well at inside centre but is not the hard running option that would bring greater balance and if Tuilagi is given the all clear to resume his international career, the Exeter player is likely to move to 13.
“Just having a power running centre would give us a different option,” Jones said.
“Everything we’re doing now is about trying to create opportunities through finesse and that’s through good running lines and passing.
“But to have someone who can take you forward quickly and engage two or three defenders then allows you to try and finesse extra space, which would be really useful to us.
“When you’ve got smaller centres you’ve got to be much better at your running and support lines and passing. I think we’re making some progress there.
“We’ve had three centres play and I think Sladey has been very good. Joe Marchant and Elliot Daly have had their moments, but we need to get more out of that and we understand that.
“If Manu is fit… I’ll have a chat to (Sale director of rugby) Alex Sanderson and Manu to see where they’re at and whether he’s got enough petrol in the tank to make the step up.”
England’s last meeting with Wales was mired in controversy and Jones was happy to reopen old wounds as he reflected on some contentious officiating by Pascal Gauzere that helped their rivals score two tries.
For the first time Jones has been openly critical of Gauzere, stating that his performance was worthy of a Rassie Erasmus-style video critique in reference to the South Africa director of rugby’s condemnation of the officials during the 2021 Lions tour.
When asked what lessons could be learned from last year’s Principality Stadium collision, Jones replied: “I don’t think there is anything to learn from bad refereeing.
“I don’t even remember that game. To me it was a Rassie Erasmus video game because we got two difficult decisions against us early that were apologised for by World Rugby for being incorrect, but that doesn’t get you a result back.
“When you go 14 points down against good opposition you have to be a pretty good team to be able to catch that up. We weren’t good enough to catch it up.”
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.
1 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