The series may be lost but England’s final tour stop in South Africa has particular resonance for Eddie Jones. It was here, in the shadow of Table Mountain, that the Rugby Football Union approached him to become England’s coach at the end of 2015, making his return to the Cape with a squad battling to avoid a 3-0 defeat by the Springboks more than a touch ironic.
Having spent barely a fortnight in charge of the locally based Stormers before agreeing to relocate to Twickenham, Jones badly needs to recapture his winning touch. The match also presents an intriguing dilemma selection-wise, with Danny Cipriani among those keenly awaiting the team announcement for Saturday’s third Test.
Cipriani has not started a Test for England since 2008 which, by anyone’s standards, is a long time between drinks. If Jones does not start him at fly-half at Newlands, the 30-year-old will be entitled to feel quietly aggrieved given the dead parrot state of the series, his bright cameo off the bench last week and the increasing commitment he has shown to haul himself back into international contention.
Giving him the green light would require Jones to accept the potential ramifications of Cipriani playing a blinder. Until now George Ford has been Jones’s key tactical cog but, behind a toiling pack, the Leicester fly-half was unable to navigate England out of trouble in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. Cipriani, either way, has impressed Jones on this tour: “He’s got fitter, he’s understanding there’s a role to play in the team and he can play it. I’ve been impressed by his diligence and his desire to be part of the team.”
Cipriani’s erstwhile Wasps club captain Joe Launchbury also reckons that, given the chance, the Gloucester-bound No 10 would not let his country down. “I’ve been really impressed with Danny this year,” said the lock. “It is quite obvious for everyone to see what he is like talent-wise but what I have been pleased with has been his game management, his leadership and constantly trying to make the players around him better. I think we have also seen glimpses of it here over the last couple of weeks.”
Jones, however, is not about to rip everything up and start again, particularly in the absence of both Vunipola brothers. “We’ve got 400 caps; that’s a side that is barely out of kindergarten. To think we could experiment even more is ludicrous.” That does not sound particularly promising for the uncapped Dan Robson, still awaiting a run at scrum-half, although the Exeter loosehead prop Alec Hepburn, on holiday in Australia’s Byron Bay only a few days ago, seems sure to feature in the 23.
South Africa are set to make several changes with a series victory already secured but, according to Launchbury, England are not in the mood to ease up. “It’s easy to view this as the last game of the season and a tour that is over in terms of being 2-0 down but we have a massive opportunity to end a run of form we are desperate to change,” he said. “I’d be very surprised if you found anyone in this squad who isn’t excited about this weekend.”
