Wallabies lucky Jones manages to keep cool ENGLAND 30 AUSTRALIA 6
HEAD coach Eddie Jones bristled at suggestions England were fortunate with the officials’ decisions after yesterday’s 30-6 victory over Australia at Twickenham.
Referee Ben O’Keeffe sent Michael Hooper and Kurtley Beale to the sinbin and disallowed tries by Hooper and Marika Koroibete for offside, infuriating Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika.
England were the superior team and emerged comfortable winners, but they enjoyed the rub of green, including in a key moment when Elliot Daly crossed in the 54th minute.
Repeated viewings by the Television Match Official showed the ball that Daly grabbed possibly grazed the touchline, but there was no doubt over the late tries from Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May and Danny Care that buried the Wallabies.
Jones said: “Why do we have a referee? Why do we have TMOs? How were we lucky?
“They do 10 replays of video and they make a decision. This is the best referee in the world for today. We had the best guys in the TMO and you’re saying we’re lucky because the decisions went our way.”
Jones, sarcastically, added: “I’m sorry we’re lucky. I’m sorry, mate.”
Not since the 2015 Rugby World Cup pool stage exit have England lost to the Wallabies, with four wins in 2016 prior to yesterday’s fifth victory in a row.
Jones was overjoyed with the record against his compatriots, referring to his love of cricket and the 1970-71 Ashes series.
“It’s nice to win 5-0, but we’re only as good as that game and we have to keep improving,” he added.
The final margin of victory may have flattered England, but Jones preferred to praise his replacements. “It was an arm wrestle,” Jones added. “You had to take your opportunities when they came about and we man- Elliot Daly goes over to score his teams first try during the Old Mutual Wealth Series match against Australia at Twickenham aged to take our opportunities better than them.
“(The replacements) all brought energy and vibrancy and a bit of creativity.”
England ground out a 21-8 victory over Argentina last weekend, when Jones’ profanities in the coaching box courted much of the attention.
Jones, who said his 93-year-old mother told him off for swearing last week, said: “I didn’t throw a pen today, I didn’t swear. I think my mother will be pleased. I don’t expect a phone call at 5am tomorrow.”
Jones is yet to decide whether to change personnel for England’s final Test of 2017, against Samoa next Saturday.
He added: “There is also the possibility we could play the same team and see if we can play better.”
Cheika was seething during the contest, but was more measured in his comments at his post-match media conference.
The Wallabies head coach said: “We showed a lot of courage, a lot of determination.
“We stayed in the game against a fair bit of adversity and then when the moments came to really get back in the game, to put pressure on England, we made some mistakes, released that pressure, and they were able to capitalise on those errors.”
Cheika was unhappy at the perceived inconsistency of the TMO, but said he did not wish to use the decisions as excuses.
He added there was “no point” in making representations to the officials or World Rugby.
“Everybody watched. point,” he added. There’s no