First beat ‘ em – then join ‘ em Hooker wants revenge before move
ENGLAND coach Eddie Jones has lashed his European champions as “f--- ing stupid” in a spicy build- up to Saturday’s clash with the Wallabies.
Not happy with a dour 21- 8 victory over Argentina, which he described as a “grindathon”, Jones is demanding improvements as England chase a fifth straight win over Australia.
The former Wallabies boss was forced to defend his foulmouthed tirade after being caught on television venting his frustration in the coaches’ box at Twickenham.
A livid Jones was seen throwing down his notepad and mouthing “F---, how f--ing stupid are we?” after flanker Sam Underhill conceded a penalty inside the England quarter.
“I haven’t seen it,” he said when asked about his tantrum.
“We want to play well, we want to play good rugby and I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be frustrated.”
It was England’s 20th victory in 21 matches since Jones took over as coach after the tournament hosts’ pool- stage exit from the 2015 World Cup.
But Jones’ first public display of anger as England coach was very different from 12 months ago when he began the verbal sparring with Michael Cheika’s Wallabies a week before the sides met. TOPPLING England is niggling away at in- form Wallaby Tatafu Polota- Nau as “unfinished business” before he stops butting heads with prop Dan Cole and calls him a teammate.
Hooker Polota- Nau’s recent signing with powerful English club Leicester has inadvertently thrust him into Saturday’s Test battle at Twickenham against four of his clubmates- to- be.
Nowhere will the conflict be more intense than at the scrum- time, where the Wallaby will be thumping into every clinch against Cole, the scarred 75- Test prop who was accused of illegal scrummaging a year ago by Australian coach Michael Cheika.
When the dust settles on a classic Test, Polota- Nau ( pictured) will only be another week away from packing away his gold jersey and joining Cole, George Ford, Ben Youngs and Ellis Genge at Leicester for the rest of the English Premiership season.
“There’ll be a lot of banter there,” Polota- Nau said. “It’s a good Test coming up and I think we’ve got some unfinished business against them.”
Polota- Nau played in the ragged 3- 0 series defeat by England in Australia last year and was injured when the Wallabies lost 37- 21 on their last visit to Twickenham a year ago.
The English always fancy bullying the Wallabies pack and blunting them has not changed since Eddie Jones, as Australian coach, blooded Polota- Nau as a raw rookie off the bench at Twickenham in 2005.
“There is ( that English mentality) but, to be honest, we don’t really take that into consideration because we’ve got our own standards to uphold,” Polota- Nau said.
“Obviously, last year we didn’t get the results we were after so hopefully we put the front- foot dominance instead of receiving it this time.
“More or less, it’s just having to put history in the past and making sure we continue the form we’re in.”
Polota- Nau said he had to be “selfish” to make the call on signing for Leicester for twoand- a- half years but said it would also advance the chances for the young gun hookers emerging in Super Rugby like Jordan Uelese, Alex Mafi, Andrew Ready and Tolu Latu.
“I mean everyone’s worried about their future but I feel like I’ve got a lot of room to improve and I’m chuffed I’ve found some progression for my rugby,” Polota- Nau said.
The veteran dearly wants to play at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan but knows how far away it is with a 32- yearold body.