England display calm before the storm in build-up to Rugby World Cup Final

Will Macpherson28 October 2019

Last week, England got everything right. In the build-up to the semi-final against New Zealand, Eddie Jones took potshots in the media and took pressure off his players. The very fact that it was Jones in the media meant his players were not, which helped them.

The team selection — of George Ford and Courtney Lawes, in particular — was immaculate, then Jones and his coaching team plotted a strategy that would thoroughly outfox their New Zealand counterparts. John Mitchell’s defence was superb, while Steve Borthwick produced a tour de force at the line-out — the very area that the All Blacks wanted to target.

“The assistant coaches have done an outstanding job,” Jones said. “If you look at the percentage of work, I should probably give my money back, but I probably won’t.”

Then they came up with a terrific response to the haka that crossed the halfway line, but no other line: no offence was taken in New Zealand. Finally, they did what so few teams can, they backed up that response with a superb performance, one better than they had managed before.

Now, they have to do it all again — on an even bigger stage.

Jones had borrowed from the strategy book of his successor as Japan coach, Jamie Joseph, who said before his team played Scotland that the hosts had been preparing for years and their opponents for a few days. Jones said the same of England and the All Blacks.

Wales coach Warren Gatland noticed this and produced a trademark shot across the bows, wondering aloud if England had played their final already.

It is Jones’s job now to ensure that is not the case. England’s performance on Saturday felt so seminal, and produced such euphoria — in part because of the opposition, in part because of its sheer quality — that it was easy to forget that it was not the final.

There are so many reasons for optimism, but also so much to guard against.

Jones has been to this stage twice before and, as ever, is a man with a plan. He lost to England with Australia in 2003 as head coach, then was an assistant for South Africa when they beat England four years later. For him, the idea of winning the World Cup as the boss must be simply irresistible — and he is using those two campaigns to shape England’s week.

Jones used his experience of 2003 cleverly last week. Funnily enough, Australia, before playing and beating the All Blacks in a semi-final, claimed there had been a spying scandal then, too.

In pictures - England rugby fans celebrate New Zealand win

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Of the plan for this week, Jones said today: “It’s always about doing less.”

Take note that he was speaking to the media again, flanked by one of his most experienced players, Ben Youngs. The team will have a rare day away from the media spotlight on Wednesday: less will be asked of them in every sense.

England have been together for months on end and should know what they are doing by now. The two-week break around the cancellation of the final pool match against France helped with that, too. New boy Ben Spencer might need bringing up to speed, but it is unlikely anything wild or new will be sprung on the team.

Some significant players have knocks that will need managing carefully. Jones will not mind seeing the players in the onsen — the Japanese hot springs — because he thinks it aids recovery.

The key, says Jones, is that “we don’t over-coach the players and we allow them to find their own rhythms in the week”. None of these players have experienced this before, although that did not hold them back last week.

“It’s not about doing everything,” he said. “It’s about doing certain things right, keeping the players fresh physically, keeping them fresh mentally, making sure they have enough to do off the field. It’s just getting the balance right in preparation.

“Coaches tend to think they’ve got to do more but we’re relaxed and we’re ready to go. The big thing for us is holding back the players this week, making sure they don’t go before the siren rings.”

Small things matter. The cancellation of the France match denied England experience of the stadium in Yokohama before the semi-final, but they have tasted that now. Jones says England have a pretty good idea who the referee will be because, well, it cannot be an Englishman or a South African.

At times over the last couple of years, Jones’s preparations for this tournament have seemed a little barmy and as if they were veering off course. That cannot be said of the last few days.

In the biggest week of all, he wants his players to relax — and perhaps we all should, too.

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