SA actually already have a lot of players out but Etsebeth brings an irreplaceable physical edge SA needed today. There is little doubt his injury was a key point in the match, the penalty count had built against England and their scrum was up the left.
Itoje is good but also a bit overhyped...
England won that game with a Vunipola headbutt on Etsebeth.
Until that point, they were second best at the rucks, the scrums, the maul, the penalty count and the scoreboard.
Mr Jones doesn't get to decide any of that, it's down to the men on the pitch. Ultimately, you can't mess with eight angry men who are much bigger and stronger than you. The NZ team found that out in 2009 when they were whitewashed by the Bok pack 3-0.
Let's be honest, England are much more...
The Boks are going to steamroll England who are ill-equipped to deal with their physicality. Australian forwards dominated England for the whole game in the second test and they are relative pusswads. The Bok forwards are two steps up again and England don't have the nous in the backs to...
The Bok pack is positively monstrous, Eddie's plans are going to count for jack-sh*t if they get a rumble on.
The best coaches in the world can be made to look like clueless onlookers by what takes place on the field.
Much of what I have read Eddie Jones saying about Daly appears to relate to his kicking ability, more specifically the big boomer off the left foot.
That makes 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 & 15 all kicking options for England. Jones also mentioned the conditions. It may well be that England are going to...
This isn't a peak, it's just the beginning. The peak will be RWC final 2019, tournament progress that Ireland will never experience.
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Do you not think if he was too unfit it would have shown up on their screens? They're hooked up to GPS you know, that's how most...
More like 90% and 10% and the latter is probably generous. If Jones wasn't there keeping a tight rein on everything, do you think Hartley would be keeping a lid on things? Probably not.
The ABs were humiliated by Italy for a good 10 minutes, Dickinson of the woeful scrummaging nation of Australia didn't have the cohones to award the penalty try.
Henry & Hansen thoroughly embarrassed, couldn't accept it and dragged the Kiwi Paddy O'Brien to a hotel room to bully him over it...
Word to the wise, you don't get 50 & 70 caps if you only have two good games.
It seems unfashionable players have to have great games and win motm awards to drill it home that they're worthy of their place.