'You only usually get a press conference of this many people when you've done something bad... we haven't'
Eddie Jones has likened England’s World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday to a heavyweight boxing fight, declaring “we’re ready to go”.
George Ford has been restored at fly-half in the only change to the starting XV that demolished Australia as Jones reverts to the twin play-maker option that has served him well during the build-up to the tournament and in the group phase.
To accommodate Ford, captain Owen Farrell moves to inside centre and Manu Tuilagi shifts to 13 with Henry Slade dropping to the bench. Jones began planning for Saturday’s seismic showdown since the World Cup draw was made in Kyoto in May 2017 and now that the moment has arrived, he insists his team will rise to the occasion.
“We are ready for the game, we’ve had two-and-a-half years to prepare for this game so we are ready to go,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a great contest. Two heavyweights, one dressed in black, one dressed in white. You couldn’t think of a better scenario.
“There’s a certain sort of game you have to have to play against New Zealand, and certainly we have tried to incorporate that into our tactical armoury. We were confident enough to think we’d make the semi-finals, so we feel like we are well-prepared for the game.”
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Against Australia a week earlier it was felt that England needed to add steel to their defence to contain Samu Kerevi, resulting in Ford being demoted to the bench. For reigning champions New Zealand, who have not lost a World Cup match since 2007, it is believed that the Leicester fly-half’s cunning will be crucial.
“Every game we have a look at the conditions, the opposition, what we think we need to do, what we need to take away from the opposition and this is the best fit for us. Horses for courses,” Jones said. “We just feel it’s the right combination this week. Work-rate is going to be important.
“Whenever you play against New Zealand your work off the ball is going to be massively important. They like to move the ball around, they are very good on transition and George’s work-rate off the ball has been absolutely exceptional.”
Earlier in the week Jones attempted to unsettle New Zealand by declaring that they are under enormous pressure as they chase an unprecedented third successive world crown. All Blacks boss Steve Hansen hit back by stating “they have got a whole four years’ work resulting on one outcome”, but Jones refused to engage in the mind games any further.
“Every team has pressure. Twenty teams started the competition, 20 teams wanted to win it and there’s four teams left,” Jones said. “Everyone’s been working towards that. It’s a great week, it’s one of the most exciting weeks in world rugby.
“You only usually get a press conference of this many people when you’ve done something bad. We haven’t done anything bad yet, so it’s an exceptional week for us.”
Eddie Jones declares his hand by naming his XV for England's semi-final versus New Zealand https://t.co/YApW5PWc1F
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 24, 2019
England were edged 16-15 by New Zealand last autumn but a number of their players have tasted victory over the All Blacks with the Lions two years ago. “Traditionally when you play against New Zealand, the pace and intensity of the game gets you,” Jones said.
“If you have experienced that before you understand what you have got to prepare yourself for and most of our squad have been involved in those games, so we’ve got great experience. They know what New Zealand are going to bring to the game and they have practised this week to be equipped for it.”
Jones has also made one change to the bench, replacing Lewis Ludlam with Mark Wilson as back row cover.
– Press Association
WATCH: Kiwi duo Jordie and Beauden Barrett seem relaxed ahead of their upcoming clash against England
Comments on RugbyPass
Another poor articles by a poor journo, nothing new from Ben, at least you are consistently bad lol, geez I will try and watch the match later, clearly Benny was only looking to one end of the pitch, hard to tell whom the Baby Blacks were playing if it wasn’t in the header 😄😄
7 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
7 Go to commentsProbably the worst article on a rugby match I have ever read
198 Go to commentsWho hurt this man.. LoL 😭
198 Go to commentsIt unfortunate for the Jaguares that they became formidable just as super rugby as we knew came to an end. However, the idea of bringing them back is nonsensical. While I enjoyed the Jaguares and the South African flavour of the comp, a selling point of this incarnation of super rugby is that all games are on a decent time for an Aussie audience.
2 Go to commentslol that’s your opinion Ben, All Blacks benefited from a forward pass try, SA played 77 min without a recognised hooker, missed a no try conversion and a penalty could have would have but didn’t
198 Go to commentsBrett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
2 Go to commentsWell done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
7 Go to commentsHow did it end a draw. South Africa didn’t score any points as far as I can see
7 Go to commentsNo doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and I plan to be there, but I think the bean counters have won out over the rugby brains. In my opinion, it is foolhardy to give the Black Ferns the experience of playing in front of 60,000+ at Twickenham a year before they might be playing there in a World Cup Final. Better to play France at Twickenham and Black Ferns at Kingsholm. The difference in takings would be miniscule.
1 Go to commentsDom kant
198 Go to commentsBen is a little incel desperately trying to stir the pot and stay relevant. We used to get mad at his articles. Now we just feel sorry for him
198 Go to commentsPerhaps we may need to put an asterisk on NZ’s ‘87 WC win since the Boks weren’t there. You know, just as a reminder. Poor Ben Smith. Go cry somewhere else.
198 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
5 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
5 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
7 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
198 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
198 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments