JONES READY FOR THE ULTIMATE TEST
EDDIE JONES has promised England will silence their critics in South Africa today.
A disastrous Six Nations and the imminent departure of defence coach Paul Gustard has given the impression Jones’ England project is falling apart.
However, the Aussie coach insists his side will prove otherwise in Johannesburg, saying: “South Africa is a testing tour. You don’t get many harder tours than this in world rugby. New Zealand and South Africa are the ultimate tests.
“Everyone’s bagging us, everyone’s saying we can’t win.
“From ex-players to ex-coaches, they’re saying we’re no good. It’s a great opportunity for us to show we are of value. It’s a great challenge for us.”
The fifth-place finish in the Six Nations followed on from back-to-back titles and Jones admitted yesterday that England had grown stale.
He said: “We went through a period when we were very successful. We came to the end of that period. We got tactically, physically and mentally tired and that was shown in our results.
“We’ve all had a break, had a look at where we want to go tactically and how we want to prepare as a team.
“It’s a new side, a new team, a new captain
(Owen Farrell) and we from PETE SAMSON in JOHANNESBURG
want to play the game in a new way. It’s a great opportunity for us to start the march to the World Cup.” England have won one of their last 13 Tests against South Africa but with the Springboks lacking five of their first-choice pack, this is a big chance to improve that miserable record.
SOUTH AFRICA: Le Roux; Nkosi, Am, De Allende, Dyantyi; Pollard, De Klerk; Mtawarira, Mbonambi, Nyakane, Snyman, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Preez, Vermeulen.
ENGLAND: Daly; May, Slade, Farrell (capt), Brown; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Isiekwe, Robshaw, Curry, B Vunipola.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand).
TV: 4.05pm, SS Action.
WALES’ Josh Adams is looking to make up for lost time today. The Worcester wing missed the Washington win over South Africa because his club did not have to release him, but he was called up for the two Tests with Argentina following injury to Steffan Evans.
Ahead of today’s game in San Juan he said: “To be told I wasn’t able to go to America was a massive kick in the teeth, but I’m buzzing to get back out there and I’ve been given the opportunity to start.”