Jones won’t take France lightly
JONES: EXPECTS TOUGH ONE AGAINST DEPLETED FRANCE
England coach Eddie Jones is braced for a gruelling encounter when his side go in search of Autumn Nations Cup glory at Twickenham even though they will arguably be up against something less than a France Second-XV.
Following a threat of legal action by France’s Top 14 clubs, unhappy at the lack of consultation over the revised calendar created in response to the coronavirus pandemic and fearful of the risk of injuries to key men, it was agreed that their France stars could make only three appearances during the six Tests that now constitute Les Bleus’ end-ofyear schedule.
France started the international window with a warm-up win over Wales, a week before the Covid-interrupted Six Nations resumed.
Of the matchday 23 that day, only fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, an unused replacement, survives among the 31-man squad for Sunday’s game at Twickenham.
France are the only team to have defeated England this year, denying the eventual Six Nations champions a Grand Slam with a 24-17 win in Paris in February.
That was England’s first match since losing last year’s World Cup final to South Africa.
“France were too good for us on that day. Whatever France has in store for us, we will be delighted to play against them,” recalled Jones after England booked their place in the final with a 24-13 win away to Wales in Llanelli last weekend.
“They are a good team. The French have always got a tough forward pack, so up front, we are going to have beat them up,” the veteran Australian coach added.
“The challenge is to get on top of them up-front and then we can create some space out wide so we can play a bit.”
Meanwhile, France coach Fabien Galthie, who saw his already changed side beat Italy 36-5 in Paris last Saturday, was in no doubt about the scale of the challenge facing his players.
“We’re expecting a match against possibly the best team in the world right now because South Africa aren’t playing,” said
Galthie.
Some 2 000 spectators are set to be present for the England-France match as fans return to Twickenham for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.
But whether they will see a match that excites them is an open question, with a defence dominant Nations Cup raising fresh concerns that the very nature of professional rugby union undermines attacking play. –