“It is fantastic to get a Grand Slam, fantastic to win the Six Nations but we want to be the No 1 team in the world – that is where we want to go”, he said. “If you don’t win trophies you are always talking about what is going to happen next”, said the Australian. “He’s been there before, he’s done it, he knows how to win and he’s instilled a confidence in the team”.
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It is a remarkable turnaround for a Scotland side who were on a cumulative run of nine straight championships defeats after losses to England and Wales in this year’s first two rounds.
England play three Tests against Australia and officials say they will sell out after Jones’ side captured the Grand Slam.
The visitors produced a powerful display but were ill-disciplined at times, enabling scrumhalf Maxime Machenaud, who scored all France’s points from penalties, to keep his team in contention throughout.
And the he has called on the current side to continue to build towards Japan 2019 by beating Australia in their own backyard this summer.
“If you can graduate from your national team to the Lions and lay well for the Lions, then you are in the way to being a world-class player”.
“You just watch the English Premiership rugby and everyone tends to play the same way… and we’ve tried to change that”.
Jones has already ruled himself out of contention for the role and remains steadfast in refusing to be considered for the most coveted job in home nations rugby, insisting his sole focus is guiding the Red Rose into the next World Cup.
“Everyone’s got to be on their toes”.
“Eddie has spoken about the fact that we haven’t really started yet, but we’re not getting carried away”, the Wasps captain told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast. For us that first 20 minutes is crucial.
The exciting thing for us is that we have an average age of 24.
“It’s like when you go out and play South Africa”.
“The Lions job is a very hard job and so to do the Lions job properly you have to devote yourself for a fair period of time to get it right and I’m not prepared to do that to take my focus away from England”.
“The biggest thing for me is that he’s created an enjoyable environment and the lads have responded brilliantly to that”.
“That is what we have got to aim for”.
Instead, Farrell added another kick, and a searing rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” from England’s travelling contingent rang out as the final whistle blew. We’ve done that now but that’s got to be the start. Well, probably not Nelson Mandela but maybe Charles de Gaulle or someone.
Jones replaced Stuart Lancaster in November and appointed “bad boy” Dylan Hartley as captain, with many commentators predicting it would end in disaster. We’re going to have to round them up, put them back in their cage and get on with the warm-up.
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Ecstatic Eddie Jones vowed it will be a matter of time before England become world beaters after claiming the Grand Slam in his first season in charge.
