Jones: ‘Best wishes to Warren… hope he enjoys third and fourth-place play-off’
Eddie Jones has taunted Warren Gatland after the Wales coach questioned whether England have played their World Cup final a game early by overwhelming New Zealand.
Gatland was speaking after his team had been beaten 19-16 by South Africa, who now face the 2003 champions on Saturday in a repeat of the 2007 showpiece. Twenty four hours before England and the Springboks collide at International Stadium Yokohama, Wales will confront the All Blacks in the bronze final 24 hours earlier – Gatland’s last match at the helm.
“Well guys, can you just send my best wishes to Warren to make sure he enjoys the third and fourth-place play-off,” Jones said at a press conference yesterday.
Jones and Gatland are longstanding sparring partners and the outgoing Wales boss on Saturday made a remark about England’s crushing win against the world champions. “We have seen in previous World Cups that teams sometimes play their final in semifinals and don’t always turn up for a final,” Gatland said. “So it will be interesting to see how England are next week.”
Jones has seen off heavyweight rival coaches Gatland, Steve Hansen and Michael Cheika so far in Japan, but he has even grander aims. If South Africa can be overcome, he hopes it will lift the gloom around Brexit. “It’s great – you give the country something to cheer about and with Brexit they probably need something to cheer about,” Jones said.
Meanwhile, England have received a major boost ahead of the final, with Jonny May and Owen Farrell recovering from the dead legs sustained in the 19-7 rout of New Zealand.