Eddie: We will time our cup charge
EDDIE JONES insists England will time their Rugby World Cup charge and only hit top form when the finish line is in sight.
Jones is acutely aware that for England to reclaim the title they last won in 2003 requires them to beat five of the world’s best teams on successive weekends.
So the Red Rose boss has ruled out trying to make a statement in the opening Pool C games against tournament minnows Tonga and the United States.
“The World Cup is not about that,” he said. “The World Cup is like the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
“You have to be in front at the right time – and we intend to be in front when the whips are cracking.”
England play those two games in the first five days of their tournament, with a 1,000-mile journey in between.
However, that is a gentle warm-up compared to the challenge that awaits afterwards – France and Argentina.
Assuming they avoid defeat their route to the final then entails a quarter-final against either Wales or Australia, before possibly New Zealand and then perhaps South Africa. Such a schedule in so physical a sport places significant demands on a
31-man squad but Jones (below) says he has taken a leaf out of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s book in how to deal with it. “I was reading about Pep’s first year at Bayern,” he said. “They played
60-odd games and for one week he had his full squad available. “That’s the reality of top-level physical sports now. You never have your best team any more. You have to have adaptable squads.” Jones says this year he has changed the way he picks teams as a result of the direction rugby is heading.
“The game has become physically more rigorous and the issues involved with the game means players will likely be ruled out of games,” he added.