Gym tests and quiz nights help Jones bond winning team
England head coach Eddie Jones is pitting his squad against each other in a series of challenges, from quizzes to a gym-based “Mantathlon” in preparation for the two-test series against Argentina.
The 32-man squad has been divided into four groups, with the coaches setting a wide variety of competitions for which points are accumulated over the week.
On Wednesday night, assistant coach Paul Gustard was the quizmaster, with referee Wayne Barnes supplying the bulk of the content on the new laws.
Set up in a University Challenge format – complete with individual
buzzer sounds – ‘Big Mix’, a team led by England captain Dylan Hartley (below), including George Ford, Nathan Hughes, Nathan Earle, Denny Solomona and Charlie Ewels, came out on top. Propping up the table was the ‘No Ideas’ team of Matt Mullan, Will Collier, Don Armand, Tom Curry, Joe Launchbury, Jack Maunder and Harry Mallinder.
Behind the fun lies a serious purpose of bringing together the most diverse squad in a generation, and fostering a competitive spirit in the 18 uncapped players. “There have been two things we’ve wanted this week: one is to drive competitive desire, because we want everybody competing for a spot,” Jones said. “We don’t want anyone to think just because they’re a young guy they can’t play in this team.
“The other thing is unity off the field, to bring everybody together. Guys have come back with a Premiership trophy, some with no Premiership trophy and we’ve put them all together, it has been good fun.”
After losing Tommy Taylor and Nick Schonert to injury on Wednesday, Jones offered a more upbeat assessment on Solomona, who has been struggling with a foot strain. Barring any late setbacks, the Sale wing will board the flight to Buenos Aires, with Jones delaying a decision on whether also to include Harlequins’ Marland Yarde, who had been brought in as cover.
Rugby league recruit Solomona has already made a positive impression on Jones. Having previously brought through Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers with Australia, Jones has a fine track record in managing crossover talent, and instantly recognises a similar finishing instinct in Solomona.
Jones’s mission from the Argentina series – in addition to winning 2-0 – is to uncover three or four players who will form part of his squad at the 2019 World Cup.
His ideal scenario is for some of his Lions absentees to find their places usurped come the autumn. “I want the Lions to be shocked,” Jones said. “Some of the training we are doing has eclipsed what we did in the Six Nations – the level of it.”
When he took over in 2015, Jones said that England lacked a single player worthy of a place in a world XV. Now he has upgraded that assessment to two. Although he declines to identify them, it is a fair bet he is referring to Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola.
By 2019, Jones says that tally needs to surpass New Zealand’s. “How many of our locks would get in the All Blacks side?” he asked. “To beat them at the World Cup we are going to have to have five or six players in the world XV, and to get in the world XV you have got to get in the All Blacks side, because they are the best in the world.”