Whatever’s said elsewhere, you don’t want to be distracted by any of that.
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“Remember David Knox, who played for the Brumbies and New South Wales?”. He carries, he tackles and he is also a leader of the team. A bit of mind games by the new coach. That’s been happening since Adam and Eve was around. To ask ‘is that a legitimate tactic?’ is absolutely ridiculous.
“You are always hoping it’s going to happen next week”. Give me a break. I want to build a team that’s sustainably successful. “Is there some sort of special law there?” Hang on, hang on he’s got a red dot on his head, we don’t run at him.
“They have to assist without a doubt and I’ve got no doubt English clubs will do that”, he added. “Obviously it’s a different game over here”.
England coach Eddie Jones and his Kiwi-born captain Dylan Hartley have made a promising start to their time in charge.
Jones knows ramping up the national pride ahead of kick-off is only part of the picture.
Ireland, bidding for a third straight Six Nations title, have yet to win this season after opening the Championship with a 16-16 draw against Wales.
Sexton sustained what Ireland coach Joe Schmidt described as a “whiplash injury” during the 10-9 loss to France on February 13.
“And Graham said to Tana ‘yes I do, what do you think?'”.
Jones claimed Sexton’s parents “would be worried” about his long-term health, heightening tensions especially given the Leinster fly-half’s history of being stood down for 12 weeks in 2014 after four concussions inside 12 months. He is here to win by fair means or foul.
While France’s treatment of Sexton was criticised in some quarters, Jones was adamant there was nothing intrinsically wrong in going after a team’s star men. He doesn’t deserve media exposure. “Maro Itoje is selected as a result and we’re pleased for him”, head coach Eddie Jones said. Elliot Daly could make his England debut off the bench at Twickenham. Jones knows it’s the element of England’s game that will take longest to shape and plans to have his backline standing flatter. The end destination for us is 2019, that’s where I expect us to be at our absolute best.
“They’re not right for worldwide rugby, that’s the distinction”, Jones said.
Jones believes England’s potential is enormous.
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“Yeah I think the guys that have been there have done pretty well. Maybe they used the wrong term but if you have had a severe trauma you have got to worry about the welfare of the player”. “They blew us off the park in the first 20 minutes and we were easing our way into World Cup preparation and I don’t think you can afford to be caught on the back foot in the manner that we were last time we were there”.
