Same again for settled England
JONES: IT’S NOW MORE ABOUT SHARPENING THE SWORD
Tokyo
England flyhalf George Ford will start the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa after coach Eddie Jones named an unchanged XV yesterday.
wen Farrell started at flyhalf in the quarterfinal win over Australia but moved to inside centre for the stunning 19-7 semifinal victory over reigning champions New Zealand, when Ford resumed in the No 10 shirt.
The lone change to England’s match-day 23 to face the Springboks in Yokohama tomorrow is on the bench where scrumhalf Ben Spencer, who only arrived in Japan on Monday, replaces the injured Willi Heinz.
Both Farrell, continuing his dual playmaker partnership with childhood friend Ford, and wing Jonny May have been passed fit following dead legs suffered against the All Blacks, while prop Kyle Sinckler has been given the all-clear following a calf injury he sustained in the semifinal win over the All Blacks.
“It has been a good week, the players have been together a while now so it’s less about training this week, it’s more about sharpening the sword,” said Jones, the coach of his native Australia when England beat the Wallabies in the 2003 World Cup final.
“We will play with no fear,” added Jones, who will become only the third England coach to be in charge for 50 Tests.
“South Africa will probably play a similar type of game they have played all tournament so we need to be good in the arm-wrestle and when we have the opportunities to break the game up, we are then confident and composed enough to take them,” explained Jones, whose 80% win rate is the best of any England coach.
England have won their last two Tests against South Africa, edging the Boks 12-11 when the teams last met at Twickenham in November 2018. –