What he has ended up with is a coach’s tournament dream - a squad boasting real depth, where the vast majority could be expected to start without weakening the whole. He consistently poured cold water on the clamour to select giant winger Joe Cokanasiga only to finally do so and see him move to a probable starting berth, certainly in the absence of the injured Jack Nowell for the first three pool games.ĭan “penalty” Cole was deemed surplus to requirements a year ago, yet here he is back in the squad as Jones recognises the stability and experience he brings to the scrum - while at the same time selecting rookie backs Ruaridh McConnochie and Willie Heinz for Japan. Until last month Mark Wilson seemed to come from nowhere to have nailed down the blindside flanker’s spot but, such is the ever-changing approach to refereeing the breakdown, Jones has tried partnering youthful opensides Tom Curry and Sam Underhill as twin flankers. England are trying a different approach and, via some bumps in the road, seem to be coming to the boil in their own way.Ĭoach Eddie Jones, of course, is the driving force behind the bewildering array of changes of personnel and tactics that have made it virtually impossible to predict an England starting XV, let alone a tactical approach over the last few years.īut, with his vast experience of coaching at World Cups via Australia, South Africa and Japan, he clearly knows what he is talking about, even if what he says so often appears totally contradictory.Īfter some experimentation, Jones seemed to have finally settled on Owen Farrell as his flyhalf, but in the warm-ups of the last few weeks he has looked again at playing him at 12 outside George Ford. LONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The received wisdom for World Cup success is to build a team boasting over 600 caps with the key combinations long bedded in.

Contra todos 2003