Now it’s business time for Rugby World Cup coaches

Fast-talking Eddie Jones had his fun this week but we now find out who gets the last laugh. World Cup semifinals are, after all, no lark. In public appearances at England’s Tokyo hotel, Jones did his upmost to shield his team from probes with several performances befitting their Disneyland base.

From his scripted spying allegations to claims no one believed England could defeat the All Blacks, Jones the caricature has been in fine form.

In other moments Jones has implored England to change rugby history by “knocking the All Blacks off their perch”. He’s pulled almost every other line possible.

All the talking, all the shadowboxing, is done now, though.

Steve Hansen and Jones regularly swapped text messages throughout this week but attention sharply switches to ending each other’s hopes.

Last week Hansen shared an animated pre-match chat on the pitch with Irish counterpart Joe Schmidt while their teams warmed up.

Hansen and Jones may do likewise at Yokohama but it will then be down to business.

All is fair in love and war. The latter part starts now.

The work of Hansen and Jones is largely done.

Their players will decide the outcome.

Both coaches have guided teams to this stage before but it is the All Blacks who again hold superior World Cup experience among their leading players.

Jones believes England will benefit from their large British and Irish Lions contingent yet this is a very different All Blacks team to the one which drew that series two years ago.

They have evolved, adapted, and while it won’t be a primary motivation by any stretch, they now get the chance to have the final say.