KOP THIS! Jones: Now Jur going to see something special Mad Fur it
EDDIE JONES wants his England rugby team spoken of in the same breath as Jurgen Klopp’s all-conquering Liverpool.
Three months to the day since being battered by South Africa in the World Cup Final, England return to work with what could be an explosive Six Nations clash against France.
Jones says he has been through a period of ‘grieving’ as he battles to come to terms with his second final defeat, also losing with Australia in 2003.
He tells how he threw his body into an exhaustive week of physical exercise – taking on men and women 20 years younger at a CrossFit camp in Japan – in an attempt to flush out the hurt.
But when it comes to helping his players get over the biggest disappointment of their lives he has turned to the power of motivation.
He started by declaring that England would become “the greatest team the world of rugby has ever seen” – one that would “stop the nation” when they played.
And last night he challenged them to emulate Klopp’s (below) World and European club champions and runaway Premier League leaders.
“Everyone wants to watch Liverpool, don’t they,” he said.
“They play with that ferocity, with that desire and they never get beaten.
“Even when they do get beaten, they haven’t been beaten. We want people to speak about us like that.
“It’s more than just wins and losses, we want to have an effect on how the
ANTOINE DUPONT has been identified by England as France’s danger-man today and he is tipped to be a global game-changer as a scrum-half. The French have traditionally looked to the No.9 to be their playmaker and opposite number Ben Youngs thinks they have unearthed a gem in the all-action Dupont, 23.
“He’s certainly going to be a nine that dominates for the next decade without doubt. At his age I think he’s got an amazing future,” said Youngs. “You’ve got nines like Will Genia who, when he first came in, took the role to another level. I think Dupont has got the skillset to do that. I’m a real big fan of his. I think he’ll be a huge talisman for French rugby.” nation sees rugby. There are so many football fans that have come up to me and said they watched England in the World Cup semi-final.
“When you play that sort of rugby, people want to watch you. Like Liverpool.”
By looking forward with such purpose Jones is hoping his players don’t dwell on the past – even if they did produce one of rugby’s greatest performances only two games ago.
The magnitude of that final defeat had left them searching for answers but unable to identify one that adequately explains what happened.
“Getting over the defeat wasn’t a straightforward process,” he said.
“You go through a grieving period. I remember Clive Woodward saying he went and locked himself in a room for three days after 1999 and he did the same after the 2005 Lions.
“I had three weeks in Japan, one of which I didn’t do any rugby at all. It’s probably the longest I’ve gone without rugby. I did CrossFit three times a day.
“My wife and I went on a CrossFit camp for five days – twice in the morning, once at night.
“You don’t have to think. You just get in there and rip in. It’s ridiculous at our age but I love being a 60 year old competing against 40 year olds, seeing if I can beat them.
“I started last and got into the middle of the class by the end. It was a bit of a cleansing. Then I came back and was ready to go.”
Jones resumed work identifying that teams which lose World Cup finals tend to fall away in the next four years as they, “don’t have that forensic want to look into everything and tear everything apart”.
He then did exactly that, appointing two new coaches, changing the way England train and picking an uncapped full-back in George Furbank for today’s clash. The only reason I’m continuing is because I think this team can improve,” said the Australian.
“The players tell you whether you should continue or not and that’s what I’m looking at.
“They will let me know.
“If the team is going well, maybe you should continue. If it’s indifferent then maybe they need a change.”
GEORGE FURBANK has shown his new England team-mates he is up to the Six Nations challenge.
The Northampton full-back – who will make his international debut at the Stade de France
– put the wind up menacing prop Joe Marler in the gents at England’s Algarve training camp.
“I was having a wee when I got a ‘boo’ behind me and it scared the sh*t out of me,” said Marler.
“I thought it would be one of the older guys who I knew but it was George Furbank staring at me deadpan. It showed me he had a bit about him.”