When Eddie Jones was asked the other day about England’s disappointing Six Nations campaign he admitted that, in retrospect, he might have handled things differently. “I think I should have refreshed the side,” he told Sky Sports, reflecting on the lowly fifth-place finish. “I should have probably brought some fresh blood in, sharpened things up.”
It is every head coach’s recurring dilemma, particularly in a post-Lions season. Stick with the tried and tested, the players who in this case had barely lost for the two preceding years, or cast the net slightly wider? Sometimes there is little other option, particularly with a busy World Cup year looming. Which is basically the scenario facing Jones as he prepares on Thursday to unveil a rejigged England squad for next month’s tour to South Africa.
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A quintet for the plane to South Africa
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