He replaced much-criticized World Cup captain Chris Robshaw with Dylan Hartley – bringing Hartley back after his suspension for repeated fouls – and crucially placed Robshaw where most believed he was a natural, on the blindside flank.
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England will take on the Wallabies in a three-Test series in June buoyed by their first Six Nations Grand Slam since 2003, which was sealed with a 31-21 win over France in Paris on Saturday. I’ve got the greatest cane in the world because I pick the side.
Jones insists his England will reach their peak in time for the next World Cup in three years’ time and has even trained his sights on New Zealand. “He’s reinstalled that in us and we want to make sure we go on and get the results”. Victory has bred confidence, and vice versa. The Australian took charge of England because he saw in the team a lot of potential that he’s managed to unlock with the help of great input, open minds, and luck. In the Premiership everyone tends to play the same way.
Neither of the former team mates at Sydney’s Randwick club have ever been afraid to launch the odd verbal grenade when they feel it is appropriate and Jones tossed the first into the mix after England’s 31-21 triumph in Paris on Saturday.
“When you coach good players – and England’s had good players – they tend to react pretty swiftly”, Jones said. “Why else play rugby if you don’t think you can beat the All Blacks?”. We built on our performances and got what we deserved. The great thing is that we still have a long way to go.
“We’ve won the championship, but the job feels half done for us at the moment”, said Jones, whose side has contrived to botch four other occasions to nab a Grand Slam since the Five Nations became Six in 2000.
Asked about his hopes for the summer tour to Australia, Jones said he was hoping England could win 3-0 and made it clear he would not allow his team to dwell on their recent success.
On Hartley, Jones added: “He’s been fantastic”.
Jones has steered England to their first clean sweep in 16 years in his first tournament as head coach. Joseph was also the man to hand the ball to Care from the bottom of a ruck for an opportunistic opening try from the scrum-half.
“The two assistant coaches have done a fantastic job, Paul Gustard with his defence and Steve Borthwick with his set-piece work”.
“You never know if there is something we might not be ready for”, he said.
“The amalgamation of lots of one or two percents can add up to a significant difference”.
Vakatawa, a convert from rugby sevens, made a brilliant break down the left but the try France craved to change the momentum proved elusive.
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“Winning a Grand Slam means you’re the dominant team in Europe”, England’s first foreign coach told reporters.
