England vs South Africa: Tinkerman Eddie Jones sticks to winning ways for final assault

Will Macpherson31 October 2019

Eddie Jones has named a remarkable England team to take on South Africa in Saturday’s World Cup Final.

Remarkable, because it is the same XV who faced and thrashed New ­Zealand five days ago. But for an injury to scrum-half Willi Heinz, it would be the same 23.

Jones has named an unchanged starting team once in his previous 49 Tests with England — as long ago as the 2016 Six Nations, his first assignment.

Remarkable, too, because, well, just look at the personnel. The pack is mobile but can dominate the set-piece and breakdown, too. The back line is full of smart footballers, with a hefty centre thrown in.

There is a depth of resolve and a tactical flexibility, given Jones could very easily have changed the most pivotal position of all — fly-half — for the biggest game of them all.

England Position
Daly 15
Watson 14
Tuilagi 13
Farrell (capt) 12
May 11
Ford 10
Youngs 9
M Vunipola 1
George 2
Sinckler 3
Itoje 4
Lawes 5
Curry 6
Underhill 7
B Vunipola 8
   
Replacements  
Cowan-Dickie 16
Marler 17
Cole 18
Kruis 19
Wilson 20
Heinz 21
Slade 22
Joseph 23

But why would you change a team that performed like this one last weekend?

If one is to quibble, the bench is slightly imperfect. It would be nice to have a replacement scrum-half who has played a minute of this tournament and, perhaps, it would be ideal to have some specialist back-three cover, rather than two players whose best position is ­outside centre.

That betrays the fact that Jones’s gamble on Jack Nowell’s fitness has not quite worked. The Exeter wing, sadly, has played 11 minutes of rugby in five months.

But this is a team fit for the occasion.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus was asked about England’s weaknesses and was left scratching his head.

“They are excellent in the line-outs, strong in the scrums, great at the breakdowns, strong ball carriers, speed on the wings, great aerially,” he said.

England are certainly not suddenly perfect, but Erasmus has a point about a team that has improved every week at this tournament. It is easy to see why Jones said today that England do not want the tournament to end.

And, remarkably, this lot have been in the wars. Billy Vunipola had played four Tests in 26 months going into this year, although Saturday will be his 15th of 2019. Manu Tuilagi played 29 minutes for England between June 2014 and February 2019 but has played every important game this year.

Anthony Watson, so consistent all tournament, spoke on Thursday about how “this time last year I couldn’t lift my heel off the floor, I could barely walk without a limp”, following two Achilles tendon injuries.

Watson’s Bath team-mate Jonathan Joseph has suffered, too, while Mako Vunipola has struggled this year with injuries. Tom Curry and Sam Underhill were never fit together until this summer, while Kyle Sinckler has ­got over a calf problem this week and is now “absolutely buzzing” for Saturday.

Jones’s England have had many ­iterations, and the head coach has kissed a fair few frogs, but he has managed to pull the right players together at the right time. Best of all, perhaps, is their age. One member of the 23 is older than 30. The average age is 27.

“It’s a great credit to the players how hard they work, physically they are fit, they work hard on rehabbing their ­injuries,” Jones said. “The players have worked hard, we’ve got great medical staff, we’ve got great strength and ­conditioning staff, so the players are in great nick.”

In Pictures | England prepare for the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final

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There is, of course, an element of luck to all this. Over the last fortnight, Wales have experienced the flip side of the coin.

Watson was crying at the end of last weekend. “I have tried lying and saying that my eye was bleeding, but not too many people believed me,” he said. “After the 13 months that I had, I was very appreciative for the moment that I had.

"There were two or three days in particular where I was very dark, considering whether I’d ever again be able to run at the same speed, change direction and stuff like that.” Sat next to him as he spoke was Tuilagi, who feels “very blessed to be here”.

Like Jones, both players credited members of the backroom staff, with Tuilagi mentioning Carl Engleman, ­the chef, and Watson mentioning Bob Stewart, the physio who kept calling even when he was miles from the squad. Getting this far, in a game this bruising, is a real team effort.

At the end of it, England have a team that can beat South Africa, but they must avoid going the same way as Wales, who were dominated by the Springboks at the breakdown and received no quick ball because Pieter-Steph du Toit on the flank was immovable, an utter menace.

Underhill and Curry have risen to every challenge thrown at them, but this one will be different. If England are to play the game their way, the Kamikaze Kids must dominate the floor.

Attack coach Scott Wisemantel also pointed out that South Africa will give England possession, through their relentless kicking game. The back three will be tested in the air and must be very wise in how they use the ball.

England have thought and fought hard to earn this opportunity. Victory would be proof that they truly are remarkable.

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