‘Let’s knock All Blacks off their perch!’

EDDIE Jones has challenged England to alter the course of rugby history by emulating the success of Sir Alex Ferguson in dethroning Liverpool.

New Zealand await in tomorrow’s World Cup semi-final at International Stadium Yokohama as Jones’ four-year reign reaches its defining moment.

The All Blacks are in pursuit of an unprecedented third successive global crown and are the sport’s dominant force, but Jones uses a football analogy to explain the task confronting his players. Ferguson famously remarked when becoming United manager in 1986 that his first job was to ‘knock Liverpool off their perch’ in reference to their rule over English football, and Jones senses the time is right for New Zealand to be relieved of their crown.

“That’s what we’ve got the opportunity to do. When you’ve been involved in rugby the country you want to knock off is New Zealand because they’ve been the best,” Jones said. “And the reason you’re involved in this game is you want to be the best. You’ve got the opportunity to change rugby history tomorrow and the whole team is excited about it.

“It’s going to be a great contest. Two heavyweights, one dressed in black, one dressed in white. You couldn’t think of a better scenario.”

Jones, who has picked George Ford at fly-half in the only change to the side that defeated Australia last weekend, added: “If you look over the four years, we’ve had success, but we’ve had failures. We’ve had to learn from those wins and from those losses, and tomorrow it’s going to be tested again.”