Beginning campaigns slowly has become a worrying trend for Eddie Jones’ team
Jones blames the fact that he is selecting from so many clubs. The argument goes that habits, patterns and the playbook all have to be learned again whenever players come into camp and “cohesion”, something that Jones is always craving, does not materialise immediately.
If and when Premiership Rugby redraws its fixture list it is theoretically possible for the final to come even further forward, thereby allowing Jones an extra couple of weeks but with European schedules to also contend with, it is understood that is unlikely. Well reasoned but the argument has its flaws and there is no better example of what can be achieved with little time than that of the Barbarians’ thumping win over England in June. Moreover, there were times against Argentina when the players looked a little too well-drilled, unable to react to events and recognise the need to inject tempo, another of England’s perennial failings.
Whereas selection was once considered Jones’s strongest suit it has increasingly become a stick to beat him with but other than starting Ben Youngs over Jack van Poortvliet – a decision that looks glaringly misguided in hindsight – there was not a great deal to argue with over his side to face Argentina.
Indeed, France, who beat Australia on Saturday, who have won every opening Six Nations match under Fabien Galthié and who have reaped the rewards of introducing a wider squad selection model similar to England’s, crucially have a core of Toulouse players in the side.
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