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Jones explains his selections, as 'different' England team to line up against Springboks
Eddie Jones is excited to put a new-look England forward pack to work against South Africa on Saturday.
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England have several forwards out injured for their first November international, with Chris Robshaw, Billy and Mako Vunipola, Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes among the absentees.
There are consequently opportunities for Alec Hepburn, George Kruis and Jack Nowell in the Twickenham Test, but Jones is confident that the new shape to his team can be a positive against the Springboks.
“We’re really excited. As we saw with Japan against South Africa, you don’t have to have the biggest players in the world,” Jones told Sky Sports.
“It’s different for England – we normally have a big forward pack – but we have got a smaller, inexperienced forward pack. They can’t wait to get out there.
“It’s exciting. We’ve got a different team and we’ve had a great week’s preparation. We can’t wait to get out there.”
He added: “We had to dig fairly deep given the number of people unavailable. I think we’ve lost in excess of 400 caps – the forward pack is probably the most inexperienced forward pack we’ve put out.”
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Your England team, co-captained by @DylanHartley and @owen_faz, to face the @Springboks on Saturday ?
Preview ? https://t.co/zzm2cKdCHY#ENGvRSA #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/XKzkG2gEsq
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) November 1, 2018
Jones has taken a risk with Ben Te’o, who has been out of action with Worcester Warriors, but he sees the 31-year-old having a key role in November alongside Manu Tuilagi – back involved on the bench – due to the changes elsewhere in the side.
“I just find that some experienced players, having played a high number of high level games in both rugby and rugby league, come around quicker,” the coach said.
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“[Te’o] has had a good preparation, a couple of good days of training, and he’s got through that pretty well. I’m pretty convinced he can handle a Test match.
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“We’re just bringing [Tuilagi] through nice and slowly. He’s had a long time out of rugby. He’s back playing for his club, we just feel that, for his first game back, he’s better coming off the bench.
“He can find his feet a bit and then, after that, we’ll see. It’s about the balance of what we have in the forwards.
“Missing the Vunipola’s, Launchbury and Lawes means that the forward pack doesn’t have the ball-carrying force that we normally have. We have to find that in a different way.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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