Jones’s judo leg-breaker
SAM HURT IN NEW DRILL
ENGLAND flanker Sam Jones has been ruled out of the autumn Tests after breaking his right leg in a judo session while with the national squad. The 24-year-old Wasps star, who was in contention to start at openside against South Africa at Twickenham next month, suffered the injury grappling with Saracens lock Maro Itoje during a drill overseen by Team GB judo coaches Kate Howey and JP Bell. England head coach Eddie Jones had asked the pair to work with his players to improve tackling and breakdown techniques. Scans today will determine how long Jones is expected to be out of action. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: ‘I’m gutted for Sam because he has worked so hard to get there.’
ENGLAND back- row contender Sam Jones has been ruled out of the autumn Tests and will miss a long period of rugby for Wasps after breaking his leg while doing a judo drill with the national squad.
The 24- year- old flanker will see a specialist tomorrow to determine how long he will be out, having had further scans.
Sportsmail understands that Jones, who was vying to start at openside in the November 12 opener against South Africa at Twickenham, was grappling with Saracens lock Maro Itoje (below) when the injury occurred, though details of how it happened are unclear.
England held a three- day training camp in Brighton at the start of this week and the new drills were being overseen by Team GB judo coaches Kate Howey and JP Bell. Eddie Jones had asked the pair to work with his squad to help improve their tackling and breakdown techniques.
Sadly, the innovative plan backfired in the case of Sam Jones, but Wasps do not have any grievance about the way the injury came about. Director of rugby Dai Young said: ‘It happens. There is no point getting too upset about it. I’m gutted for Sam because he has worked so hard to get there and sometimes for a player, an injury is a bit easier to take if it happens in a game. If it happens in training, it can seem more disappointing.
‘He will be a big loss for us but we are lucky to have a lot of talented back-rowers at the club who have already stepped up this season. My biggest disappointment is for Sam as he’s been playing so well and I’m sure would have made a good impression in the England camp.’ This is not the first time in recent years that England have suffered an injury as a result of trying to expand their training repertoire. In the build-up to the 2011 World Cup, scrum-half Ben Youngs incurred knee ligament damage while wrestling with team-mate Toby Flood. He required surgery and had to recover quickly in order to feature in the tournament. The setback for Jones narrows Eng- land’s options against the Springboks, Fiji, Argentina and Australia. Mike Williams of Leicester is in contention to wear the No 7 shirt, despite operating at blindside for his club and being uncapped. The national coaches will also consider shifting Itoje from lock to fill the back-row void created by James Haskell’s enforced absence.
Meanwhile, All Blacks scrum-half Aaron Smith has been suspended for one match by head coach Steve Hansen for ‘breaching team standards’. New Zealand confirmed that the 27-year-old was ‘seen entering a toilet cubicle with a female friend at Christchurch airport’, the day after the Rugby Championship match against South Africa in the city on September 17.
Hansen revealed that the suspension was agreed in a meeting of senior players and that Smith had accepted his punishment. He will miss the clash with the Boks in Durban on Saturday and has returned home.