Win, lose or draw, it is a safe bet Eddie Jones will not suffer the same fate on Saturday as on his previous trip to Cardiff. Twelve years ago Australia’s narrow defeat by Wales was the eighth in nine matches and proved the final straw. Jones was sacked a week later and was effectively told of his plight by a journalist shortly after the match. “When you lose the national job, you are devastated and I was devastated,” said Jones.
He refused to acknowledge, though, that when it comes to what he calls “shadows in the corner” in reference to the ghosts of England’s 30-3 thrashing in Wales four years ago, this was his. “No, I don’t sleep well enough to have shadows in the corner.”
So what is it that keeps him up? He has already said he lost no sleep over whether to have the Principality Stadium roof open or closed, so it is more likely the callow back row he has picked and the vulnerability that England’s injury problems, as well as the stuttering performance in beating France, bring.
“We were disappointed with how we played against France because we wanted to start the tournament with a bang,” Jones said. “They played well – people are underestimating how well France played and how good they are going to be. This is one of those games where, if you’re an Englishman, you’re going to get excited.
“It’s one of those traditional games and means so much to their supporters and to our supporters. It means so much to our team, it means so much to their team. That always adds a little bit. We will definitely play better, we will play well enough to win.
“[My job is] coaching players, you’ve got 80% that’ll do anything to win. You’ve got 10% that are perfect players: your George Fords, your Owen Farrells that go away and practise. Then you’ve got 10% where you’ve got to find a way. You’ve got to either whip them, kick them, cuddle them, kiss them. There’s been a bit of cuddling this week.”
The bookmakers have England favourites for a 16th consecutive victory but, either way, the margins are likely to be small. Jones believes it was telling that last week none of the three sides that won managed a four-try bonus point and, having said “you don’t go around Wales, you go through them”, he is expecting an attritional contest, where the goal-kicking of Owen Farrell and Leigh Halfpenny will be key.
“I don’t think any team tried to play differently in the first round,” he said. “Nobody likes smart-arses, they are like warm beers and cold pies. Nobody is going to play differently because of bonus points. These games are all about winning.
“In the Six Nations goal-kicking is always important because it’s played on wet and slippery pitches, it’s difficult to move the ball quickly, the air is cold which contributes to a harder ball, which makes it harder to catch, pass and keep in general play, so they’re tight affairs.”
