Ollie Phillips: England’s next two matches can make or break their Rugby World Cup hopes November 22, 2018 England’s autumn has gone well so far, with a lot of the negativity surrounding Eddie Jones and the team dissipating, yet they have been fortunate and cracks have, for now, just been papered over. They were very lucky to edge out a South Africa team who pummelled them in the first half; downpours played into [...]
Revealed: The huge challenge facing Christian Wade as he goes Stateside to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme November 20, 2018 Christian Wade has established himself among the all-time greats in Premiership history when it comes to try-scoring, but he now faces the biggest challenge yet of his sporting career as he attempts to reinvent himself as an NFL star. The former Wasps wing this month embarked on the challenge of breaking into American football, starting [...]
Ollie Phillips: Experimental England need to use Japan match as opportunity to show their attacking credentials November 15, 2018 Eddie Jones has made 11 changes for England’s match against Japan on Saturday, which leaves him open to accusations of playing a second-string side. But looking at the XV it isn't quite that simple. Instead it highlights their strength and depth with exciting options all over the pitch. Japan are clearly the easiest of the [...]
Revealed: The vast number of England players capped by Eddie Jones as Joe Cokanasiga and Ted Hill prepare for debuts against Japan November 15, 2018 Joe Cokanasiga and Ted Hill are set to make their England debuts against Japan on Saturday, taking the number of players capped during Eddie Jones’s three-year tenure to 66. Bath wing Cokanasiga, 21, has been named in a starting XV that features 11 changes to the side that narrowly lost to New Zealand last week, [...]
England’s narrow defeat by New Zealand shows Eddie Jones’s side have turned around poor year November 11, 2018 England may have lost Saturday’s match against New Zealand, but the fact the majority of the 82,149 people left Twickenham disappointed shows just how much Eddie Jones has turned things around. Ahead of the autumn internationals the prevailing mood was more pessimistic than optimistic. England had endured a difficult 2018, failing in the Six Nations [...]
Ollie Phillips: Chris Ashton is exactly the type of weapon England need to trouble New Zealand November 8, 2018 Chris Ashton’s selection to face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday is an exciting and bold move by England head coach Eddie Jones. Ashton is a natural-born try-scorer who is dangerous across all areas of the pitch. He has a fantastic record and will certainly cause the All Blacks headaches defensively. Jack Nowell, who he replaces, [...]
New defensive coach John Mitchell is Eddie Jones’ secret weapon as England prepare to face New Zealand November 8, 2018 John Mitchell is the Kiwi in the England camp and could give Eddie Jones’s side the edge this weekend as they look to inflict what would be only New Zealand’s second defeat in the past year. England’s new defensive coach was brought in to the set-up by Jones ahead of the autumn internationals to shore [...]
Ollie Phillips: Eddie Jones goes physical as England name exciting but inexperienced side to face South Africa November 1, 2018 We knew there would be changes in England’s first squad for the autumn internationals, but Eddie Jones has still managed to spring a few surprises in the side to play South Africa on Saturday. I’ve been critical previously of the England head coach for not picking on form, so it’s pleasing to see some of [...]
Farrell or Ford? Who will play No8? Should Chris Ashton start? As the autumn internationals draw closer, Eddie Jones still has some key questions to answer October 28, 2018 The autumn internationals will be one of Eddie Jones’s final opportunities to test his England players against the best in the business ahead of next year’s World Cup. England face three of the favourites to win the tournament as they play New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, as well as next year’s hosts, Japan. Things [...]
Ollie Phillips: Pressure mounting on Eddie Jones ahead of autumn internationals as RFU publicly pursue his successor October 25, 2018 The Rugby Football Union are already preparing for life after Eddie Jones, it emerged this week. That in itself isn’t controversial. One day he will have to step aside – it just depends whether that will be at the end of his contract in 2021 or following the 2019 World Cup. Jones is well aware [...]