WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH,TE’O GETS GOING
England ready to get physical with the Aussies as Farrell warns that the rougher it gets the more Big Ben likes it
EDDIE JONES has stopped short of demanding England bully Australia today – for fear of getting his knuckles rapped by Human Resources. But nobody, least of all the Wallabies, are in any doubt about England’s intention at Twickenham where the curtain falls on the autumn campaign. Jones has named a power-packed line-up – and that is just in the backs where Ben Te’o and Joe Cokanasiga start and Manu Tuilagi lurks in reserve. England’s boss is taking no chances against the country of his birth despite injury and disciplinary issues wrecking the Aussie build-up. Star No.8 David Pocock was forced out by injury yesterday when it was also revealed that senior backs Kurtley Beale and Adam Ashley-Cooper were not considered after breaking team protocols.
But Jones said: “Australia likes nothing better than to beat the old foe, the Mother Country, at Twickenham. This will be their best performance of the year.
“They’ll see this as a chance to put everything right. To go on to the beach and be kings of the southern hemisphere. They’ll be up for it alright.”
They are going to need to be, if England captain Owen Farrell’s assessment of Te’o is any guide.
The teaktough centre spent seven years playing pro rugby league in Australia and Farrell, himself hardly a shrinking violet, warned: “He is not someone who goes backwards.
“When games get tough there are people who want the ball more and want to make more of an impact. That’s the way Ben is. He’s not waiting for anyone else to set the tone.” England hit their straps in the first half against New Zealand and in the second against both South Africa and Japan. That apart they have been patchy.
Team selection is tailored towards an 80-minute display, with co-captain Dylan Hartley, Nathan Hughes, George Ford and Tuilagi primed to take the game away from the visitors in the last quarter. “Manu is a game-breaker, he can make something happen out of nothing,” added Farrell.
“When you play against him, it’s normally not very nice!”
Australia have suffered seven defeats in 11 outings and they last beat England back in 2015.
More often than not the Poms bully the Aussie scrum. Asked if Twickenham could expect more of the same Jones paused.
“Bully is not a good word these days,” he said. “If I say bully I’ll get called up before Human Resources.
“Let’s say we’d certainly like to dominate them.”