GET STUCK INTO SEXTON
Jones targets Irish ‘weak link’ as Itoje earns his first start
EDDIE JONES has already repeatedly demonstrated his aptitude for mind games, but yesterday’s attempt to unsettle Ireland over selecting Jonathan Sexton was antagonistic in the extreme.
Having named his team for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham, the England head coach seemingly went out of his way to rattle cages in the opposition camp.
The thorny issue of Sexton’s health and well- being has divided Irish opinion in light of the Lions fly-half ’s repeated concussions and myriad injuries of late and Jones duly waded into the debate with both feet.
It was an outburst which was unprompted — at least initially — and the Australian stood his ground when subsequent questions became confrontational.
In essence the thrust of his message was that the duty of care towards Sexton lies with his own team, coaches and support staff, and if Ireland choose to pick him, as they have, he will be greeted by an English onslaught.
‘ Sexton is an interesting one,’ said Jones (below). ‘They’ve talked about him having whiplash injury. I’m sure his mother and father would be worried about that.
‘ I’d be worried about his welfare if he’s had whiplash injuries. Hopefully the lad’s all right to play on Saturday.’
The spectre of concussion has become a primary focus in the last couple of years, and Jones added: ‘ We play a physically violent game, where people are banging into people without much protection so you’ve got to worry about the welfare of the players.
‘The weight and strength of the players has increased enormously so the impacts are much bigger and you have to look after players as much as you can.’
There was a torrent of Irish indignation and condemnation aimed at France as Guy Noves’s side apparently targeted Sexton for rough treatment in Paris.
However, Jones rejected the notion that England should be forced to consider the well-being of a rival player who has been placed in the line of fire.
‘We target players all the time — that’s part of rugby,’ he said.
‘I didn’t know teams had any special requirements. Is there some sort of special law? There are 15 players out there — are we supposed to not run at one player? When we’re attacking, we’re attacking a weak defender. Why would we run at the strongest defender?
‘I’m not saying Sexton is a weak defender — maybe France did. But we’re going to be targeting players in the Ireland side. We want to win and you win a game of rugby by attacking their weak points. To say that’s unfair is just ridiculous.’
Jones hadn’t finished. He claimed that the concept of huge runners repeatedly charging at perceived weak links in the opposition defensive line had ‘ been happening since Adam and Eve were around. So to ask if that is a legitimate tactic is absolutely ridiculous.’
What about testing out an injury carried by a rival player?
‘You always do,’ added Jones. ‘I remember the 2003 World Cup; Jonny Wilkinson was supposed to have a bad right shoulder.
‘We kept on running at him, he kept on picking people up and putting them on their head, so his shoulder wasn’t too bad!’ He was adamant that Sexton would cope, as would his own, smaller No 10, George Ford, who will be a focal point for Ireland.
‘Do you think they’re not going to send (Robbie) Henshaw at George Ford at the weekend? Give me a break,’ said Jones.
‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. I’ve got no worries about George Ford.’
There was another duty- ofcare matter to address.
Jones picked Maro Itoje to start at lock in the absence of Joe Launchbury and then explained that the Saracens prodigy would not speak publicly before he has ‘earned his stripes’ with England. ‘ He doesn’t deserve media exposure,’ Jones added. ‘ He has done nothing — nothing.’ Well, he has done enough for his club, in training and in a Test debut off the bench in Rome, to be entrusted with a starting place. In assessing Itoje’s potential, Jones said: ‘The best left-hand side lock in the world is (Eben) Etzebeth. He can be a more athletic Etzebeth. He has got better jumping skills, but Etzebeth has got that mongrel in his carry and his tackle. If Itoje can develop that, he will be world-class as a left-side lock.’
The trouble is Jones already knows that developing that ‘mongrel’ in a player can be a difficult process — given the relative comfort, wealth and support enjoyed by British sportsmen. ‘Go to the car park — there are no Vauxhall Vivas there,’ he said, pointedly.
Asked if his men were too comfortable, he added: ‘I think they are at the moment. My job is to make them not comfortable.
‘There is talent here, it is just about finding the right mix of desire, attitude, commitment and work ethic.’
Itoje appears to possess all of those qualities already.