We need to flick England switch
ITOJE CALLS FOR QUICKER STARTS
MARO ITOJE told his teammates to lie back and think of England – after Eddie Jones blamed their limp display on the wrong level of arousal.
A day after Argentina won at Twickenham for only the second time, England were fumbling for answers for their flaccid performance.
Head coach Jones said: “Sometimes you get into a game and you just haven’t got the right level of arousal or commitment. For whatever reason, we were lacking that.”
The Pumas’ 30-29 win was the third time this year England have lost the first game of a campaign, following the Six Nations and summer series Down Under.
Jones pointed to a lack of “preparation time” – seemingly forgetting opposite number Michael Cheika spent most of the week coaching Lebanon in the Rugby League World Cup. Itoje agreed with Jones, however, that it is an issue, saying: “We know losing the first game is becoming a bit of a trend and it is not one we want to continue any longer.
“We have 11 [Premiership] clubs now, everyone playing a different style with a different thought process. We haven’t perhaps been so good at flicking the switch to England mode.
“It is something we need to get better at. We need to get back on England time, England mode, England way of thinking a bit sooner.
“Create that teamship a bit sooner than we sometimes have.
“It can take a week or two to get going but we need to get going from the off. The group are tight off the field but we need to translate that on to the field.”
Next up on Saturday are Japan, who gave the All Blacks a fright last month.
“They are very quick,” said Itoje as Jones wasted no time in recalling Northampton flyer Tommy Freeman. With Jonny May also available again and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet surely set for a start, England have fresh pace to inject. Also added to the squad is Saints’ nippy No.9 Alex Mitchell and Jamie George, who only last month suffered a foot injury that his club Saracens believed would keep him out until early December. England cannot afford another slip, with New Zealand in town next week followed by world champions South Africa. Itoje added: “There’s no point putting our hands to our face or looking down. We need to walk towards whatever pressure and whatever situation we face – just go out there and do it.”