England head coach Eddie Jones on Monday challenged his Grand Slam-winning players to “rewrite history” and become the first England team to win a Test series in Australia.
However, the former Wallabies head coach also issued a warning to his side that no-one is guaranteed a place onboard the flight in June unless “they carry on improving and are mentally ready for the next step up.”
Jones has fixed his ambitious sights on developing the team he guided to England’s first Six Nations clean sweep in 13 years into a force capable of upsetting Australia in their own back yard in June.
Photo: Reuters
Celebrations following Saturday’s Grand Slam-sealing victory over France quickly came to an end as the England players returned to their clubs for the final months of the season before contemplating the clashes with the Wallabies.
It is to be the first time the two nations have done battle in a three-Test series in Australia and Jones, who was Wallabies head coach from 2001 to 2005, knows all too well the enormity of the task ahead.
England have won just three of the 17 Tests played there between the sides, one of which was the 2003 World Cup final, and have generally had a miserable time of it Down Under.
“Perhaps it’s time to improve on that record. It’s time to make the history books look a little better,” said Jones, whose side faces Michael Cheika’s men in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
“If I didn’t think it was possible to take a squad of players over to Australia and win a series, I shouldn’t be coaching the national side. There will be no excuses. We have so many fine players to choose from,” Jones said. “It just comes down to whether we have enough desire and talent to do it. And I can assure you we certainly do have those things.”
“To win a Grand Slam must just be the start. To keep improving is now the big challenge ahead,” he said. “Why do you think New Zealand were able to come back from what happened in 2007 to win two World Cups in eight years? Because the likes of Richie McCaw and the rest wanted to keep improving — and they did.”
“The players have gone back to their clubs and if I was one of them I’d be so excited about the prospect of playing some crucial games for their clubs with the chance of proving they deserve to be on the plane to Australia for a fantastic Test tour, but no one is guaranteed a place in the squad,” he added. “There are 15 places up for grabs in the team. They have done well in the Six Nations, but they must now continue improving as players.”
Jones intends to take “32 or 33” players to face the Wallabies, declaring that he is still on the lookout for “new guys to come in and liven up the squad” between now and the end of May.
He is relishing the months ahead and says that friends back home are taking a keen interest in England’s progress.
“I’ve had some texts and e-mails from back in Australia that have been, let’s say, quite interesting, but seriously, people there are happy that England are doing well again and heading in the right direction,” he said. “World rugby is better off for having a strong England team.”
“The one thing I do know is Australia go into every contest expecting to win,” Jones said. “So I expect the same with this England team.”
Jones intends to retain the help of Jonny Wilkinson as kicking coach, meaning that the man whose drop-goal won England the 2003 World Cup could be persuaded to accompany the squad on the plane to Australia.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Shahzad Khan was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at sixth in the East and still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament that would see the seventh-through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff berths in each conference. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson scored 18 points apiece, and Dyson Daniels added a triple-double of 13
RSS