'They haven't scrummed against us yet' - Eddie Jones goads Pumas pack
Eddie Jones declared “hang on to your seats” as he lit the fuse for England’s pivotal World Cup group clash with Argentina on Saturday.
Jones has picked his strongest available starting XV for the Pool C showdown at Tokyo Stadium in pursuit of the victory that would propel his title challengers into the quarter-finals.
Marauding prop Mako Vunipola and tackle-busting wing Jack Nowell are poised to make their first appearances of the tournament after overcoming lengthy injury-enforced absences to secure places on the bench.
The only change to the side that launched the Webb Ellis Trophy quest with a bonus-point victory over Tonga is George Kruis replacing Courtney Lawes at lock.
For now Joe Marler has held off the challenge of Vunipola at loosehead and the Harlequin’s scrummaging expertise will be needed against Argentina after they hinted against France that their once-powerful set-piece has been restored.
Jones views the scrum as a cornerstone of English strength and predicts it will be a key battleground in Tokyo.
“It’s a part of the Argentinian culture. Like anything in life you can have dormant periods but when it’s a fabric of your rugby it’s quite easy to reignite,” Jones said.
“Mario Ledesma (the Argentina coach) has done that particularly well. It’ll be a massive test on Saturday.
It could get messy for Argentina's front row.??? #ENGvARG #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/erJuv1fOka
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 2, 2019
“They haven’t scrummed against us yet and we believe our scrum can be a real weapon for us, so hang on to your seats.
“They’re an interesting team, a strong team. We know that Argentina are at their best at World Cups. We respect them very greatly.”
Vunipola and Nowell missed the Pool C victories over Tonga and USA because of respective hamstring and ankle injuries but have been passed fit for the first major test of the group phase.
ICYMI #engvarg #rwc2019 https://t.co/Imb8YSQfuF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 3, 2019
Vunipola, the game’s foremost loosehead, has played just 17 minutes of rugby since May 11 after his comeback against Ireland during the warm-up Tests was aborted when he damaged the scar tissue on his hamstring.
Nowell has not played since his blockbusting performance for Exeter in last season’s Gallagher Premiership final but is present on the bench where he will be unleashed as a hard-running impact substitute.
The England centre believes he may be too old to feature at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. #RWC2019 https://t.co/ehrcoKXGFU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 1, 2019
“Mako and Jack were still some way off but they trained really well yesterday,” Jones said.
“If they hadn’t trained as well yesterday we probably wouldn’t have picked them in the 23, but they showed they’re fit enough to make a really significant contribution to our outfit on Saturday.”
After the pool’s two weakest teams were swatted aside, Eddie Jones has picked his strongest available side, with playmakers George Ford and Owen Farrell fielded in tandem inside Manu Tuilagi.
Tuilagi was a marauding presence against Tonga, scoring two tries in a man-of-the-match performance, but was rested for the USA clash.
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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
35 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.
35 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.
2 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.
35 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.
18 Go to comments