Jones relishing England showdown

Michael Jones believes Saturday’s World Cup showdown between Samoa and England is a battle “of two desperate teams.”

Samoa are clinging to distant quarter-final hopes from Pool A after losing their opening games against South Africa and Tonga.

Defeat in Nantes next weekend would effectively send them crashing out of the tournament, and their cause has not been helped by further injury problems that could now sideline full-back Gavin Williams.

England, unconvincing when they beat the United States before being thumped in record World Cup fashion by South Africa, also urgently need points to revive quarter-final hopes.

And Samoa coach Jones knows the stakes could hardly be higher as his players look to avenge their pool defeat against England in Melbourne four years ago.

He said: “I can promise you, you will see a totally different Manu (Samoa) team out there on Saturday.

“We are two desperate teams, playing for the honour and the glory of our countries.

“I don’t see them (England) playing like they did against South Africa. They will be jumping out of their skins. They are just as desperate as us.

“We still totally believe in the potential of this team. We just haven’t really fronted-up.

“There is no tomorrow for us. Hopefully, we will pick up another bonus point (against England).

“We are definitely taking the most difficult route to the quarter-finals, but sometimes the most difficult route is the best.”

Samoa’s 19-15 loss to Tonga in Montpellier last weekend left a mark on Jones and the Samoan squad, given they went into battle as firm favourites.

And he admitted: “They (Tonga) fronted up and played with all their passion.

“That is the hurtful thing – they did to us what we’ve done to them for the last six years. That’s what is really hard. We are really disappointed and we’ve done a lot of soul searching.

“It is hard to keep motivated. But for our boys, we do things the Samoan way.

“We don’t try to gloss over things, we do what our parents would have done. We speak a few home truths, but we do it with love. It’s a tough-love approach.

“I purposely haven’t read any newspapers, but it won’t have gone down well. We let ourselves down and let our country down.

“I would have rather lost to them for the last six years and won this one, because this is the one that counts.

“But it will be business as usual. The boys are very committed to fulfilling our dream. Things can still go our way.”

Goalkicker Williams, meanwhile, might have suffered a broken hand, while reserve prop Muliufi Salanoa has damaged a knee cartilage and is definitely out.

Jones said: “Gavin could be out. He is getting tests done on a possible fracture to his hand.

“With Salanoa out, it brings our total of injured players to eight.”