Jones hails England veterans and rookies
England coach Eddie Jones hailed his Test veterans and international rookies yesterday after a 2-0 Test series triumph in Argentina achieved without many unavailable stars. A drop goal from outstanding fly-half George Ford with six minutes left sealed a thrilling 35-25 second-Test victory in northeastern city Santa Fe.
Last weekend, England won an epic first Test 38-34 in San Juan thanks to a try by debutant winger Denny Solomona 100 seconds from time. British and Irish Lions call-ups for the tour of New Zealand and injuries robbed Jones of 30 candidates for the end-of-season visit to South America.
“I thought Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown were absolutely exceptional,” said 57-year-old Australian Jones, referring to two of the few “old hands” in the Santa Fe line-up.
“Both of them demonstrated why they have represented their country more than 50 times,” he told reporters. Flanker Robshaw, back after shoulder and ankle injuries ruled him out of the Six Nations Championship and the first Test in Argentina, foraged tirelessly.
Full-back Brown engineered the pick of the four England tries by leaping to intercept a cross-field kick from Argentina fly-half Nicolas Sanchez during the opening half.
He then darted down the field and cleverly cut inside to draw defenders before passing out to centre Piers Francis, who scored. Jones also lauded Ford, labelling his performance behind an often battling pack as “brilliant”.
“It was not a great attacking game from him-he had to find another way given the circumstances. “We did not have much ball, but kicking that field (drop) goal at the end was tactically brilliant.”
Jones warned his rookies before the second Test that it might be the last chance to impress before a 45-man training squad is named during August with the World Cup in mind. “A few of the new guys have done really well,” said the architect of a sensational 2015 Rugby World Cup triumph by minnows Japan over twice former champions South Africa.
Among the forwards, Jones praised prop Harry Williams, lock Charlie Ewels and flankers Mark Wilson, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry, a teenager. Williams, try-scorer Ewels and Underhill started in Santa Fe, Wilson came off the bench and Curry was rested after a superb first Test display.—AFP