WILL EDDIE FUDGE HIS FRENCH TEST?
JONES DILEMMA:
IF THERE is one team everyone wants to avoid at this World Cup it is New Zealand.
So England’s safe passage through to the knockout stages, secured with a six-try dismissal of Argentina, has presented Eddie Jones with an interesting question.
Do England want to beat France on Saturday in Yokohama in their final group game?
If they win, they will almost certainly place themselves on the
All Blacks’ side of the draw.
A semi-final showdown with the world champions – the one leading nation England have not beaten under Jones – would beckon.
It is a similar conundrum to the one Gareth Southgate faced at last summer’s World Cup in Russia. Southgate’s response was to send out the reserves against Belgium, lose 1-0 and, hey presto, avoid the heavyweights.
After seeing off the passionate but ill-disciplined Pumas, Jones stopped short of
contemplating deliberate defeat against France but is chewing over resting players. When the dust had settled after a spicy contest ultimately decided by Tomas Lavanini’s 17th-minute red card for a high tackle on Owen Farrell, Jones told journalists at Tokyo Stadium he would be looking to make changes for France.
“I’ll be looking to pick our best 23. Now, our best 23 may be different from your best 23,” he said.
If Jones picked his pet dog, Annie, he would still claim the side he was sending out would be his best 23 – it is one of his mantras – but if he does go down the Southgate route there are inherent risks attached. Should England finish second in the group it may keep them away from the All Blacks but it sets up a probable quarter-final with Wales rather than Australia. England have not lost to Australia in the Jones era; they have gone down to Wales twice in 2019 alone.
The World Cup is a momentum tournament and England are rolling along briskly. Would they want to risk that stalling?
The squad would certainly have an issue with tactical defeat.
“We want to win everything we play in,” said prop Mako Vunipola. “Next week will be no different, so we want to have a good week’s preparation, prepare for France as best we can and then go out there and try to win the game.
“It would be difficult for a player to go out and not have anything but that in their head.That’s how injuries happen.”
The senior Vunipola’s safe return in the last quarter of the game, along with Jack Nowell after long-term injuries, expands England’s selection options if Jones decides to shuffle his cards.
Vunipola thought he was a goner after aggravating a hamstring injury against Ireland in August.
“I had a fear that that could be it,” he said. “It was touch and go.”
Nowell, whose knee and ankle problems were compounded by an emergency appendix removal at a training camp in Treviso, marked his comeback with his 14th try for England after he bounced through an exhausted Pumas defence.
“It’s very easy to slip out and feel a bit isolated when you’re injured,” said Nowell. “What we’ve been very good at this World Cup is how together we are.To finally repay a bit back to the boys is good.”
Whichever way England choose to play it, they look in good shape headed for Saturday’s meeting with their old friends from across the Channel.
Having faced England and France at this tournament, Pumas prop Juan Figallo has no doubt who are the better side. “England,” he said. ENGLAND - Tries: May, Daly, Youngs, Ford, Nowell, CowanDickie. Cons: Farrell (3). Pen: Farrell.
ARGENTINA: Try – Moroni. Con: Boffelli. Pen: Urdapilleta.