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The lingering questions Eddie Jones must answer this autumn

By AAP
(Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)

Always a man who works to the finest detail, England coach Eddie Jones has lined up his four November opponents to mirror what the team will face – or hope to face – if things go to plan in next year’s Rugby World Cup.

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England kick off against Argentina on Sunday, followed by Japan the following Saturday – the two fixtures they will open the tournament with in France next September.

Should England top the group, which also includes Samoa and Chile, they are likely to face either Australia or Wales in the quarter-finals.

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Then would come a possible re-run of the 2019 semi against New Zealand, which, if they were to repeat their dream display in Japan, would put them on course for a potential final against South Africa, when they would obviously seek a different outcome.

Consequently, England play the All Blacks – for the first time since that World Cup semi – and Springboks later in November in a mouth-watering Twickenham finale.

It is a daunting month but one that England really need to face head on as they seek to build on their excellent series win in Australia following another poor Six Nations campaign.

Despite Argentina’s stunning victory over New Zealand in August, they were unable to sustain any consistency in the Rugby Championship and arrive at Twickenham on the back of 10 successive defeats against England.

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Jones will want to deliver a statement performance to set the tone for the month but also to start to finalise some of the selection issues that remain, worryingly for some fans, very much unanswered 10 months out from the World Cup.

Jones seems set on combining Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell at 10 and 12, despite the two not exactly dovetailing in Australia.

Farrell has been in superb form for Saracens this season – but in his preferred position of flyhalf – so the next four weeks should finally convince the coach whether the “two distributors” concept is the way forward.

He is helped, for now, by the presence of Manu Tuilagi. Fit, if not exactly firing for Sale, the wrecking ball centre has been the focal point of some of England’s best performances in recent seasons and if – always a big if with him – he can remain fit, he is probably the first name on the team sheet.

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Jones is without a handful of injured potential starters, the most notable being flanker Courtney Lawes, who had been a popular and effective captain after replacing Farrell.

Whether Jones gives the responsibility back to his favourite “Test match animal”, or maybe turns to prop Ellis Genge or flanker Tom Curry, will be one of the more interesting aspects of his team announcement on Friday.

His back three selections will also be closely scrutinised, as injuries to Tommy Freeman, Henry Arundel and Jonny May – though included in the squad after a seemingly miraculous recovery from a dislocated elbow – could open the door for Cadan Murley to stake a claim after a spectacular start to the season for Harlequins.

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Adrian 11 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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