England coach Eddie Jones cast doubt on the wisdom of Ireland selecting Johnny Sexton for the teams’ Six Nations match on Saturday, saying the flyhalf’s parents would be concerned about his health problems.
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Back then Ireland coach Joe Schmidt admitted talk last season that he was risking his well-being by playing was a “distraction” that affected Sexton.
Jonathan Sexton has had issues with concussion.
England will doubtless run at Sexton and given the way they finished off Italy, I expect a six to eight-point win and for them to move clear at the top of the table ahead of Wales, who will surely be 10 points better than France.
England boss Jones bristled when asked whether there could be any justification in targeting players in the modern game, in light of his comments on Sexton. Ireland has followed medical advice when it comes to Sexton’s health and fitness.
Joe Schmidt, Ireland’s coach, has downplayed any concussion fears after the playmaker was stood down for 12 weeks in late 2014 having sustained four head injuries inside a year and he has taken several further blows since.
“We target players all the time, that is part of rugby”, said Jones scornfully.
He said: “We have had the time to come together since Italy and work on our game”.
Tom Tierney’s side, the defending Six Nations champions, take on their English counterparts at Twickenham after Ireland’s clash with England, also at the home of English rugby. “Is there some sort of special law there?”
Jones obviously likes a bit of pre-match sparring and this week has been nearly reminiscent of the buildup to the 1991 World Cup when David Campese and others connected to the Australia camp criticised what they saw as England’s attritional, forward-dominated play, goading England into a more open style that played into the Australians’ hands in the final.
“He is very quick to say we are not there yet, which is good, ” scrumhalf Danny Care says.
Rugby union is a cosmopolitan game and rugby players like to travel.
“We are not going to run at their strongest defenders, we’ll always run at their weakest”.
‘You just know he’s going to be a quality player.
Seeking a third straight win to begin his tenure with England, Jones selected Maro Itoje on Thursday for his first start for England.
Eddie Jones is no stranger to muddying the waters before a Test match and he will know as well as anyone that his claims of Ireland kicking possession away more than most – either 60% or 70% depending on how mischievous the England head coach is feeling – are not entirely based in fact.
Battering ram centre McCloskey has replaced injured Ulster team-mate Jared Payne in Ireland’s rejigged midfield, with Leinster’s 22-year-old Van der Flier starting at openside flanker.
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“Maybe [former coach] Clive Woodward summed it up best when he said everyone hates England that’s true”, Jones said.
