Jones promises physical contest

Australia coach Eddie Jones wants his side to match England’s physicality at Twickenham on Saturday and vowed: “We will be brutal.”

A year ago this week, in the World Cup final, Australia attempted every trick in the book to disrupt England’s superior scrum – delaying engagement, moving closer to reduce the force of England’s tight five – and it worked.

Referee Andre Watson repeatedly penalised England and Elton Flatley booted the Wallabies back into the game from 14-5 down at the interval to force extra-time.

England coach Andy Robinson yesterday called for “a real contest” in the scrum – a comment aimed at both the Wallabies and New Zealand referee Paul Honiss, renowned for the way he officiates the set-piece and the breakdown.

Jones’ response today was unequivocal.

“Is there some accusation we are shying away from the physical part of the game by trying to be clever? We are not,” he said.

“Rugby is a physical game. We will be just as brutal as England are aiming to be at us. There is a physical part of the game and we are not shying away from that.

“We will take the physicality of England and hopefully we will be able to use our skills.”

While Robinson made his feelings on the scrummage contest clear, Jones’ own bugbear has always been the breakdown and he fired a riposte to the England camp, reminding them how eagle-eyed Honiss can be.

England’s back row outplayed South Africa’s much-vaunted trio in last weekend’s 32-16 victory but Jones warned: “Honiss is the fastest referee in the world at the tackle and that is going to be important on Saturday.

“England have got Lewis Moody, Joe Worsley, and the big number eight Martin Corry, all very adept (in the tackle contest). And Steve Thompson is pretty handy at making himself a nuisance at the ruck area.

“There are about 210 decisions the referee has got to make in the game and England seem to be focusing on one part of the game.

“The tackle contest is the area which happens most in the game and the area the referee has to get right most of the time. We are hopeful he is very diligent in that area, that he does enforce the laws.”

England suffered a 51-15 drubbing in Brisbane this June but Jones draws few parallels between the current England team and the beleaguered tourists of five months ago.

“During the June Test they were very much the World Cup side with some changes. Since then there is a new captain, a new coach in place with a slightly different philosophy – the Robinson philosophy of how you play rugby,” said Jones.

“That has come through very clearly. It is a brutal, confrontational game - win the ball through the forwards then release the backs.

“The standard in the Zurich Premiership is very good so they are picking players on form.”

Jones has had to dig deep into his reserves after losing fly-half Stephen Larkham, outside centre Stirling Mortlock and winger Clyde Rathbone to injury.

In come Wendell Sailor on the wing, Elton Flatley for Larkham and Morgan Turinui, the surprise choice in the midfield ahead of Mat Rogers, who starts among the replacements.

Turinui was not originally included in the touring squad but impressed Jones with his performance for Australia A against the French Barbarians last week and offers a more physical presence than Rogers.

Jones said: “Mat is essentially a full-back and a winger so when it came to selecting the outside centre we wanted a specialist there.”