England win, but Jones riled by Italian spoiling tactics
ENGLAND head coach Eddie Jones was seething with sarcasm after his side’s 17th successive Test win, the 36-15 RBS 6 Nations defeat of Italy.
The Grand Slam champions trailed 10-5 at the end of the worst half of Jones’ reign, brought about by their inability to adapt to Italy’s crafty refusal to form rucks. But a second-half rally saw England claim a scarcely deserved, six-try, bo- nus-point victory at Twickenham. Jones insisted England had not played rugby, that paying spectators should ask for their money back and that he should refund his day’s wages to the Rugby Football Union.
The Australian threatened to retire if the tactics – which saw Italian defenders stand in England’s back line as no offside line had been formed – prevailed in future. Jones said: “In football they say park the bus. I don’t know what they had, but it was bigger than a bus.
“Remember Trevor Chappell? Bowled under arm along the ground. Couldn’t hit the ball for six. We saw a Trevor Chappell game of rugby today.
“We still haven’t played a game. We haven’t played rugby yet. Congratulations to Italy. I thought they were brilliant in the execution, but if that’s rugby, I’m going to retire. That’s not rugby. If your half-back can’t pass the ball, then there’s something wrong with the game. You’re looking to pass and all you see is one of their players. We lost the ruck from the game and when you lose a primary contest from the game it changes the game considerably and it ceases to become rugby.
“If you paid for your ticket, ask for your money back. I don’t want to be involved in those sort of games. I’d rather go home, pick up my stumps, put them in the kit bag and go home.I don’t think it’s smart rugby.”
It took until the second half for England to assert themselves. Jones added: “Could we have adjusted even quicker? Possibly, but it’s difficult.
“I’m not critical of our side at all, because we didn’t play rugby. We probably got flustered a little bit by their tactics, which is normal.”