Eddie the conqueror
PLAYERS: HE IS FUELLED BY DESIRE TO MAKE ENGLAND WORLD-BEATERS
When asked just what it is that Eddie Jones brings to the table the words most often heard from England’s players and his coaching assistants are “trust” and “honesty”.
The players, full of respect for his impressive CV, trust him in terms of selection, preparation and tactics, and Jones in turn trusts them to deliver on the pitch.
Those he perhaps did not think he could trust, including some undoubted Premiership talents, will be watching the World Cup final against South Africa on TV in the UK. Those he has faith in will be walking out at Yokohama Stadium today not only to play the biggest game of their lives, but fully believing they will win it.
When Jones took over the England job from Stuart Lancaster amid the wreckage of the 2015 tournament, that seemed an unlikely scenario. His stated and often repeated aim of wanting to make England the best team in the world, was invariably followed by “but we’re not there yet”.
Last week, officially, he finally achieved it as their extraordinary victory over New Zealand promoted England to the top of the world rankings for the first time in 15 years.
Jones, however, considers that a total irrelevance and is focussed on only one goal – winning the World Cup.
He got close with Australia in 2003, foiled by Jonny Wilkinson’s extra-time drop-goal, had a taste of glory as an assistant with a victorious South Africa in 2007, and pulled off probably the greatest World Cup coaching coup of all when his Japan team stunned the Springboks in 2015.
Now he is on the brink of the culmination of his life’s work, the thing that drives his furious work ethic. Some of those around him can’t take the heat and bale out or are discarded along the way, Others have embraced the challenge
The Springboks will win the Rugby World Cup against England in Yokohama because they have a ‘Bomb Squad’ – and England don’t. The vision of coach Rassie Erasmus to send on a fresh, complete tight five early in the second half has pulled the Boks through some tense situations this year. Admittedly though they will come up against an England side who are not just capable of matching them physically but may even dominate them. The Bok bench, however, could change matters in the last 40. The final pits two teams against one another with the best defensive structures. The kicking boots of Bok flyhalf Handre Pollard, opposite number George Ford and centre Owen Farrell could be pivotal.
Boks by five
and hung on for the ride of their lives.
Analysing Jones’s impact on England, former captain and World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio told Reuters: “I think there’s a really strong trust that has clearly developed over the last couple of years. The coach can pick a team and a game plan and the players are comfortable with it, as against Australia. Then he can change that winning team – everyone else was questioning the selection but the players weren’t –they just went out and delivered the plan.
“I think when he took over, in the first couple of years the relationship was very coach-led but
Few heads in world rugby can compare with that of Eddie Jones. Super Rugby, Tri-Nations, Bledisloe Cup, Six Nations, Triple Crown ... you name it, he’s won it. As head coach that is. The only thing missing from his glittering CV is a World Cup winner’s medal. He won one as Jake White’s assistant in 2007, but that wouldn’t have made up entirely for the agonising defeat he suffered in the 2003 final against England as Wallaby coach. If he could mastermind a Bok defeat at the hands of Japan, then imagine what he can do with England. My heart says Rassie Erasmus is arguably the best South African rugby brain to outsmart the wily Aussie, but my head says don’t bet against Jones.
England by 11
now the trust is there and he can allow it to be more player-driven.”
Jones has been building towards today since he arrived every single decision backed by every ounce of his experience geared towards preparing his players for the ultimate rugby challenge.
Elliot Daly, consistently supported by Jones when many in the media were questioning his selection at fullback, said the Australian had been amazing. “You always get honesty with Eddie, you know exactly where you stand,” he said. “He’s coached against so many teams that come Monday morning, he knows exactly how we are going to beat the team the next
South Africa’s progression to the World Cup final and their rise to second in the rankings has been built on a tremendous pack that has been able to smash just about every opposition it has encountered. Their strategy has been simple but brutally effective and revolves around pulverising their opponents on the gain-line. England, however, have a mighty pack able to match the Springboks and they too have built their success around dominating the gain-line collisions. If that battle has no clear winner because England have neutralised South Africa’s great strength, then Eddie Jones’ team would have had a more accurate kicking game and more attacking options than the Boks.
England by six.
weekend – and we all buy into that.”
In his first meeting with Ben Youngs, Jones famously threw a bag of sweets at him, telling him he was too fat. Today the scrumhalf will win his 95th England cap having become one of Jones’ most trusted lieutenants – and several kilos lighter.
“He prepares us meticulously but also keeps the messages simple so by the time we go out there everyone is absolutely ready and just does their job,” Youngs said.
Billy Vunipola commented before the All Blacks clash last week: “Eddie knows how to do it – he has the formula. Trust in Eddie.” -
– Frans Steyn (above) is South Africa’s cool and collected super-sub, according to coach Rassie Erasmus, and also the sole survivor of the Springbok team that last won the World Cup in 2007.
Steyn, now 32, came into the World Cup in Japan as one of only 15 players who had also played in the 2007 tournament in France.
Twelve years ago, Steyn, then just 20, started the final at inside centre and kicked one 49-metre penalty as the Boks ran out 15-6 winners at the Stade de France against England – their opponents in Yokohama today.
“I’m just enjoying the week,” Steyn said when asked about the build-up to the final, after Erasmus named him on the bench.
“The last time it wasn’t so serious for me. I was a little bit young and I just thought there would be another opportunity.
“Now it’s a little bit more serious because I know there won’t be another opportunity. It doesn’t come along every day to play in a final and we have to make it count.”
Steyn had played just 10 matches, at fly-half, for the Sharks in the 2006 Currie Cup Premier Division when he was picked for the Springboks’ autumn tour by then-coach Jake White.
At 19, he made a try-scoring debut on the wing against Ireland, before moving to fullback for his second game, against England, scoring a memorable long-range drop-goal from inside his own half.
His ease at playing anywhere in the backline did not go unnoticed and he signed a lucrative, three-year contract with Racing-Metro in 2009.
He played for the Boks again at the 2011 World Cup. – AFP
The 2007 World Cup final, which also featured this year’s finalists, was a telling reminder of how previous form shouldn’t count for much in a game of this magnitude. England were generally nowhere in that year’s edition yet still managed to grind their way to the decider and, had wing Mark Cueto scored a disallowed try, the scoreline in Paris could’ve read 15-13. The Boks never got out of third gear in that game because they didn’t need to. The point is: England were more prominent in the game than their previous form “warranted”. England are just as physical in contact and relentless on defence than Rassie Erasmus’ men. More importantly, their attack is far slicker than South Africa’s.
England by eight