There is plenty of excitement around the tranche of youngsters picked by Eddie Jones, but one man cannot be ignoredWelcome to The Breakdown, the Guardian’s weekly (and free) rugby union newsletter. Here’s an extract from this week’s edition. To receive the full version every Tuesday, just pop your email in below:For all that Henry Arundell’s first call-up to the England squad commands attention, for all that Eddie Jones has seen fit to cast his eye over another tranche of youngsters just a year before the World Cup campaign begins, the most significant inclusion for Sunday’s get-together is Manu Tuilagi. ’Twas ever thus and it is no coincidence that the night before naming his squad, Jones chose to spend it in...
Eddie Jones’s side managed to hold on for the win against Wales without the powerful centre but whether they can continue to do so in the Six Nations and beyond is uncertainNot for the first time this Six Nations, Eddie Jones was left lamenting a lack of ruthlessness from his side following a nail-biting victory against Wales. It is a word he has used often of late – clinical being another – but so far England have not been able to display enough of a cutting edge in attack to suggest they will finish top of the pile. They remain in the hunt for the title after keeping Wales’s second‑half fightback at bay but it seems clear that improvements must...
The coach has named a strong, pacy side to take on his native country but can he get Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith to gel?If there is one nation Eddie Jones hugely enjoys pitting his wits against it is his native Australia. There are good reasons why England have beaten the Wallabies seven times in succession since 2016 and high on the list is Jones’s instinctive grasp, both psychologically and selectorially, of which specific buttons to push.Not only does he understand exactly how the Aussies feel when they catch a glimpse of a white shirt but he also knows what they hate most about playing the Poms. Hence the announcement of an England side with Marcus Smith at No 10,...
Is it really such a crime for the centre to move overseas and expect to add to his 43 caps after leaving Leicester for reasons not of his own making?As he sat overlooking the Mediterranean, sipping a cafe au lait, Manu Tuilagi smiled wryly to himself. No need to jump into any harbours these days, he thought, pondering his lucrative move to the south of France after falling out with Leicester and enjoying a profitable stint in Japan. Didn’t moving to warmer climes do wonders for Jonny Wilkinson’s body back in the day? Perhaps he should have headed across the Channel years ago.Fact or fiction? The latter, for now, but you can see how the idea might one day appeal...
Eddie Jones has reverted to the back three who did so well against Ireland for a must-win match with added distractionsIt is a badly-kept secret that some players have made a point of being spotted at French clubs in an attempt to boost their wages. Brian O’Driscoll is on record as saying he made sure he was seen at a Biarritz match with the club president when he had no intention of joining, but it had the desired effect when it came to his next Leinster deal. For Manu Tuilagi though, the dilemma was genuine, he was really close to joining Racing so I’m just thrilled he is staying at Leicester.I was in a similar position nine years ago. I...