Heavyweights collide as Fiji’s absence blights Nations Cup
LONDON: England coach Eddie Jones expects a heavyweight contest in more ways than one when his Six Nations champions face Ireland in the second round of the Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham on Saturday.
Both teams go into what could be a decisive Pool A clash following resounding home wins, with England thrashing second-tier Georgia 40-0 and Ireland overwhelming Wales 32-9.
England, however, have won their last three matches against Ireland. But an Ireland team coached by Andy Farrell, the father of England captain Owen, has a new look about it.
Rossbyrnereplacesinjuredirelandcaptainjohnny Sexton at fly-half, with the new No 10 partnered at half-back by his Leinster team-mate Jamison Gibson-park who keeps the vastly-experienced Conor Murray on the bench.
An Ireland back-row of Caelan Doris, Peter O’mahony and CJ Stander prompted England coach Jones to revert to the loose forward trio he deployed in last year’s World Cup final loss to South Africa, with No 8 Billy Vunipola lining up alongside flankers Sam Underhill and Tom Curry.
“Well, it’s a different Irish side so we’ll need to play differently,” said Jones. “They’ve picked that heavy back row and normally they pick more of a ‘fetcher’ in there.”
Ireland’s side also features James Lowe, the New Zealand-born wing who scored a try on Test debut against Wales last week.
“I’ve got a vivid memory of James Lowe, playing for the New Zealand Maori against Japan in 2015 at Kobe Stadium,” recalled Jones.
In Pool B, France are away to Scotland on Sunday as they seek revenge for their only loss under coach Fabien Galthie -- a 28-17 Six Nations defeat at Murrayfield in March where prop Mohamed Haouas was sent off as Les Bleus were denied a Grand Slam.
They will be without injured fly-half Romain Ntamack,whosehalf-backpartnershipwithantoine Dupont has sparked much of a resurgent France’s exciting atacking play.
Scotland’s 28-17 win over Italy last time out was their fith straight victory -- a run wing Blair Kinghorn insists is “not a fluke”.
France’s opening pool match against Fiji was cancelled because of a coronavirus outbreak in the Pacific islanders’ camp.
And a tournament created following the fall-out from the pandemic, might not see Fiji play at all ater 29 fresh cases put paid to this week’s match with Italy and placed a huge question mark over their concluding pool game against Scotland.