EDDIE JONES HAS rejected criticism of his replacement policy for England’s forwards from World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward after Dylan Hartley again did not finish the game in the defeat to Scotland.
England’s hopes of a third successive Six Nations title were dealt a blow last weekend with a 25-13 loss in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield.
Captain Hartley was withdrawn after 55 minutes in keeping with Jones’ policy of rotating his forwards in the second half, much to the dismay of Woodward.
Woodward, whose England side defeated Jones’ Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, said his “heart sank” when he saw Hartley being withdrawn at a time when leadership was needed.
He added: “Can you imagine Lawrence Dallaglio or Martin Johnson going off at Murrayfield with 25 minutes to go when their team are in dire trouble?”
Jones, though, defended his rotation policy, saying: “The game has changed in terms of intensity. It’s very hard for front-row forwards to play 80 minutes.
“I’ve seen Mako Vunipola go 77 minutes and he comes off as a physical wreck. It takes half a week to recuperate, without any exaggeration.
“So most front-row players around the world go 60 minutes, because of the amount of work they have to do is three times what they had to do 10 years ago.
“Speak to Woodward about his opinion. We have set up the team so that the captaincy is movable.”
Hartley is expected to retain the captaincy for Saturday’s meeting with France, Jones praising the hooker’s ability to rally the team after only the second defeat of the Australian’s tenure.
“You need strong people. You need people to come in that aren’t kicking stones,” he added.
“You don’t need people who are feeling sorry for themselves, you need people to come in and want to set an example of how we will go forward – and he has done that.”
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The cracks are beginning to appear. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that they could lose their new two games and then the knives will really be out.
The Hartley selection could be the thing that brings him down if he remains stubborn and keeps picking him.
The arrogance of Jones will be his downfall
@Mark Smith: ah come on. They lost one game away from home against a side in decent form. A bit early to talk of downfalls.
@Fergal O Lachtnain: decent form??although the Wales match could be viewed as a once off they got buffed
@Fergal O Lachtnain:
If it was us or any other team then yes it would not be an option but this is England and the expectation levels are that they should be number one in the world.
Only the All Blacks operate at the same level where they are expected to win every game.
Just look at the rabid press last week from the English hacks after one defeat, looking for a change in the selection and questioning Jones for picking the wrong team.
Imagine what it would be like after 3 defeats while building for the World Cup
@James Neill: Yeah Scotland Scotland are in decent form. They are up to 5th in the world rankings.
@Mark Smith: some of our so called fans expect us to win every game by picking a mix of young players without experience and who live 20 miles from their house added to 4 or 5 players who are not good enough and on a losing team week in week out but are better than the ones our coach picks who win almost every week.
I hope that Ireland win the 6 nations and the world cup
@Clay Davis: says every irish man in the country…
@munsterman: ..in the world!
Woodward is a tool and talking nonsense and getting press time. Jones shouldnt even have to answer this. Woodward is criticing frontrow rotation.
Yes Johnston or dialligo wouldnt be taken of after 60 minutes, but they dont play front row.
If anyone thinks Woodward is right and the Captain should stay on, are you also up in arms when Best comes off? Course not.
Headline should be Woodward talks tripe, reporters ask Jones to respond to tripe as its a slow news day.
Hartley is no Johnson or Dallaglio.
Never forget the votes.
Sco=FRA
Wal=SAR
Eng=IRL.
Front Row Players need to stop being sprinters with good ball skills and need to relearn how to become an immovable object who will terrorize their opposite numbers every time a back drops a ball, knocks on or makes a forward pass. The no.3 for the Ireland Women’s team for instance. Now SHE is a front row forward!
Jones is 100% right
Blah Woodward.
Jones is 100