IT’S NOT ALL BLACK ’N WHITE
Eddie faces Le Crunch decision
EDDIE JONES could opt to rest key men for the final World Cup group game against France on Saturday.
His England side became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals with a six-try demolition of Argentina.
And with France joining them in the last eight after an unconvincing 23-21 win over Tonga yesterday, it leaves Le Crunch as a group decider.
Now Jones has a big decision to make. If there is one team everyone wants to avoid at this World Cup it is New Zealand.
So it might suit England to settle for second place and avoid the All Blacks’ side of the draw. Win and they would be set to meet New Zealand in the semi-finals.
It is a similar problem to that which Gareth Southgate faced at last summer’s World Cup in Russia.
The football boss responded by sending out the reserves against Belgium, lost 1-0 and avoided the heavyweights.
After seeing off the 14-man Pumas, whose fate was decided when Tomas Lavanini was sent off in the 17th minute for a high tackle on Owen Farrell, Jones admitted he would be making changes against France.
“I’ll be looking to pick our best 23. Now, our best 23 may be different from your best 23,” he said.
Should England finish second in the group they would face a probable quarter-final with Wales rather than Australia.
“We want to win everything we play in,” said prop Mako Vunipola, whose brother Billy limped off with an ankle injury at half-time against the Pumas.
“Next week will be no different, so we will prepare for France as best we can and then go out there and try to win.”
The senior Vunipola’s safe return in the last quarter, along with Jack Nowell, gives England more selection options should Jones shuffle his cards.
Whichever way England choose to play it, they look in good shape heading for next weekend’s meeting with their old rivals from across the Channel.