Jones: I wouldn’t know ABs’ haka from the Spice Girls
PHOTO / AP England coach Eddie Jones has laughed away suggestions that the All Blacks haka at Twickenham will have any relevance to tomorrow’s test, joking that he would not notice if pop group the Spice Girls were singing instead.
England face Steve Hansen’s world champions for the first time in four years in London at 4am (NZT).
Previous All Blacks renditions of their customary challenge at Twickenham have been met with
from home fans, but Jones had no interest in the pre-match festivities.
“At that stage of the game, they could be playing the Spice Girls and I wouldn’t know what’s being played,” Jones said at a media conference yesterday.
“They’re making a comeback, aren’t they, the Spice Girls? Maybe they could sing at that time. It’s got no relevance to me at all.”
Earlier this week, Jones resembled a cat on hot tiles such was the enthusiasm he attempted to project about this weekend’s clash.
“I didn’t need this [win over South Africa] to make me believe we can beat the All Blacks. I thought we’d beat the All Blacks back in 2016 so nothing has changed, mate,” Jones said, reflecting on the start of his turbulent tenure.
“I said to the boys after the game, I can’t wait. They are the benchmark in world rugby. They are who you want to play against. Where you are in the world, you only know when you’ve played against the All Blacks. Any team that wins 91 per cent of their games is a great team. What other teams in world sport do that?”
Jones has heard the same messages emanating from England’s Lions contingent, the likes of world-class first fiveeighth Owen Farrell who may draw on experiences from their second test victory in Wellington last year.
“Course we believe, anyone can be beaten,” Farrell said. “I don’t think any team is unbeatable. I’m sure people will talk about all different sorts of things this week but we’ve got to get better and that shows on the pitch.”