Jones: Stay tough, but keep your composure

Eddie Jones has called for England to show steely composure when they confront a Wales team willing to “rip off heads” in Cardiff on Saturday.

Jones has braced his Guinness Six Nations favourites for a ferocious onslaught from Warren Gatland’s men - the Championship’s only other Grand Slam-chasing side - that will be driven by emotion.

Earlier in the week, Wales watched a one-man play on the life of their celebrated late Lions centre Ray Gravell staged in the changing room at the Principality Stadium that will be used by England.

Defence coach Robin McBryde declared “there will only be one result” if inspiration is drawn from a show shrouded in poignancy, and Jones used a boxing analogy to outline how his players must respond.

“It’s one of those games where we want to have plenty of aggression and toughness but we need calm heads,” Jones said.

“We need to be able to channel it in the right direction. So we need to be able to play tough, think smart.

“Wales are going to be full of emotions. They’ve been saying they’re ready to rip off heads. The senior players are holding them back.

“They watched a play about Ray Gravell - I remember watching him play, he’s a good player hey? A really good player.

“So they’re full of emotions and they’ll bring that to the field and we know Wales teams at home want to come out hard.

“Our job is to be like that heavyweight boxer that comes in there, knows exactly what he’s going to do, waits for the opportunity for the knockout and then takes it.

“Just be calm, but at the same time tough and have a real steel about us. That’s what I want to see.

“And I know we’re going to get it, I know we’re going to get it. I can see it in the players’ eyes now.”

England have made two injury-enforced changes to their starting XV, with Jack Nowell replacing Chris Ashton on the right wing and Ben Moon filling the void left by Mako Vunipola’s absence.