'Mako was always up at the front with the parents and Billy was in the back, screaming'
Eddie Jones insists England are too smart to be outwitted by scheming Argentina’s claim that his World Cup contenders play boring rugby.
Pumas talisman Agustin Creevy levelled the accusation earlier in the week to ignite hostilities ahead of the crunch Pool C showdown at Tokyo Stadium where victory will propel England into the knockout phase.
Jones recalls the 1991 World Cup final when Will Carling’s team deviated from their forward-based strength in favour of a more expansive game after being taunted by Australia, who went on to triumph 12-6 at Twickenham.
“It’s the old two-card trick, another one of those great old coaches, Bob Dwyer in 1991, threw that one out and there was a response then from the England side,” Jones said.
“Maybe if they hadn’t played like that they would have two World Cups on their sleeves. There are many different ways to play the game.
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“I give you a book and you think it is interesting, I give it to someone else and he thinks it is rubbish, so what is right? Nothing is right.
“Find a way to play the game effectively – that is the great thing about our game. We know what we’re good at.”
England are now five matches away from winning the World Cup and enter the first real test of their title credentials at full strength with marauding prop Mako Vunipola and tackle-busting wing Jack Nowell ready to make their Japan 2019 debuts.
Vunipola and Nowell missed the Pool C victories over Tonga and USA because of respective hamstring and ankle injuries but are deemed fit enough to make an impact from the bench.
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Vunipola has played just 17 minutes of rugby since May 11 after his comeback against Ireland during the warm-up Tests was aborted due to damaged scar tissue, but he is now ready to join his brother Billy in the pack.
“Mako, at his best, is probably the best loosehead in the world and to have the calmness that he brings….” Jones said.
“He’s a senior counsel for our team. We have got a reasonably young team and Mako has that calmness.
“You’ve always got two brothers in Mako and Billy and one’s a bit more volatile, the other is a bit more settled, so Mako was always up at the front with the parents and Billy was in the back, screaming.
One of England, Argentina and France will face the Wallabies in the first knockout round of the World Cup – but which one will it be? @ArgyleSport makes his prediction ??????????? https://t.co/ffIlBfy6yU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 4, 2019
“Billy is great for us because he has got that fire and temperament and you want that from your number eight.
“You look at the history of the World Cups and they’ve always been won by big number eights.”
Nowell has not played since starring for Exeter in last season’s Gallagher Premiership final due to his troublesome ankle and an operation to have his appendix removed, but he will be unleashed upon Argentina as a hard-running impact substitute.
“I know I was criticised for saying this before, but I believe Jack could play anywhere in the back row to anywhere in the backline competently.
“He has amazing fighting spirit. He works so hard for the team. He is just a really good team-man.”
Jones has opted for the openside flanker combination of Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, the duo he dubbed ‘Kamikaze Kids’, in the back row with Lewis Ludlam deputising on the bench.
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At 21-years-old, Curry is the squad’s youngest player and the least popular room-mate due to his sleepwalking – a fact revealed by Underhill.
The cat-loving Sale flanker must tame Pablo Matera, the Argentina captain and driving force who also lines-up at number six.
“I would like to go to a cat cafe at some point. I am a big cat fan,” said Curry, in reference to the famous cat restaurants in Tokyo.
“There is a cat island, a cat shrine in Miyazaki that no-one wanted to go to. I think there was a ferry but everyone said no to that. It might have been the company though!”
– AP
Could this be Manu Tuilagi’s final Rugby World Cup?:
Comments on RugbyPass
RIP big man 🙏
1 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
1 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
5 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
3 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
3 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
5 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
5 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
16 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
16 Go to comments