I’ll keep within spirit of game

chat with Uncle Eddie after the game. You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family.

“I don’t know if there’s an element of deflection or anything like that but ultimately, as players, that kind of stuff goes on outside the tent. We’re inside the tent and we need to deal with what goes on inside the white lines.

“World Rugby, when asked for clarification, came back and essentially said they saw nothing untoward with what happened. More importantly, Pascal, at the time, had no issue or no issue after the game.”

Finn Russell was forced to wait to take the conversion as Jones had a discussion with Gauzere.

Jones said: “I’m very grateful that Eddie has flagged that up with World Rugby. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and keep within the spirit of the game.

“I had to ask the questions because there was a game in the autumn where, had we reviewed the play against South Africa, a try probably wouldn’t have stood. There is that element of communication. It is important if someone wants to seek clarity they get that.

“It’s pleasing that World Rugby clarified nothing untoward had happened.”

Reporting an incident to World Rugby from a match not involving his own side was an unusual move by an international coach but one Jones’ assistant Neal Hatley defended yesterday.

“They have come back with clarification that the referee was in constant communication with the TMO and so it is not an issue, but we were well within our rights to ask the question,” said Hatley.

The Wales captain also defended inexperienced fly-half Rhys Patchell, whose readiness for today’s high-stakes occasion has been questioned by Jones.

“There are obviously going to be question marks,” he said. “We’ve lost Dan Biggar and other guys but people forget that Rhys Patchell has been round the squad for a good few years.

“It is a step up, no one would deny that, playing away against England, but Patch is ready.

“The build-up has ramped up somewhat in the last 24 hours for obvious reasons but we still focus on the game itself and job at hand.”

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny sat out the final training session yesterday because of illness.