Farrell tells England to stay cool
OWEN FARRELL says there’s no reason for England to start going into panic mode.
The England skipper has told his team-mates to keep calm and carry on as their rut threatens to turn into a fully-fledged crisis in Bloemfontein today.
Farrell knows a fifth successive Test defeat and another loss to the Springboks could plunge the side into freefall, only a year away from the World Cup in Japan.
But the Red Rose star insists if from PETE SAMSON
they hold their nerve, they will take in Durban
the series to a third Test decider.
He said: “The last thing we should our future successes. We’re going do now is panic. The last thing we through a very tough period. should do is worry. “But the quality of personnel,
“No team has ever won a series the quality of coaches and the
here for England, so to do that would strength of character we have in
be something special, but we’ve got this group is very significant. I’m
to get this week right first. sure it will see us through.”
Coach Eddie Jones acknowledges the pressure is on as England head to the Free State Stadium, having crashed to a 58-10 defeat on their last visit in 2007.
He said: “Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be winning all the time. I want to win every Test match.
“But you only get to really develop these areas of your team in these tough times. This is when you find out how good you are.
“For us it is the most important dress rehearsal for the World Cup. You get to this stage and it’s like a World Cup semi.
“You win, you go forward; you lose, that’s the end of the tournament. It’s a great situation for us, great practice.”
Setbacks
“I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t believe we can’t win the Test match.”
England surrendered a 21-point lead to crash at Ellis Park but second-row Maro Itoje says the setbacks will make them stronger.
He said: “I have been in other environments where we’ve lost a run of games and that experience has made us stronger.
“I enjoy high-pressure environments. I enjoy being in the middle of tough situations and finding a way to win.
“In the long run, we’ll probably look back and say it was a good thing because it has contributed to