Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Eddie has a Jack of all trades
EDDIE JONES has revealed madcap plans to change the face of rugby and turn Jack Nowell into a forward.
England’s bonkers boss chose the start of World
Cup year to laugh in the face of established thinking.
On the day he named a power-packed squad for England’s crunch Six Nations opener in Ireland he threatened to select a team with nine forwards.
He also claimed to be giving serious thought to playing Exeter wing Nowell at openside flanker.
“Rugby has become so orthodox so we have to look at opportunities to change it,” Jones said. “Maybe one of the opportunities is nine forwards.
“I’m serious! The game has changed. It used to be 80 minutes, now it is 100. The next change is you will have players who can play backs and forwards. It is going to happen.”
Jones says Nowell, 25, stands out as a player with transferable skills while flankers Tom Curry and
Sam Underhill can also play in a “number of positions”.
Nowell made his return from a hamstring injury last Sunday with a striking display at full-back against Castres.
But rather than put pressure on the 15s in the squad to face the Irish two weeks tomorrow, Jones has decided he could be even more effectively employed.
“Jack is a great player and definitely an option at seven,” the Australian claimed. “He has great ball carrying, great tackling skill, he puts his head over the ball, he’s a tough little bloke who can play wing, 13, 15 and seven for us.”