Eddie Jones says England will not fall for Argentina mind games
"Find a way to play the game effectively - that is the great thing about our game. We know what we're good at."
Thursday 3 October 2019 23:09, UK
Eddie Jones insists England are too smart to be outwitted by Argentina's claim that his side play boring rugby.
Pumas hooker Agustin Creevy made the quip ahead of the Pool C showdown at the Tokyo Stadium, where victory will see England advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Jones recalls the 1991 World Cup final when Will Carling's team deviated from their forward-based strength in favour of a more expansive game after being taunted by Australia, who went on to triumph 12-6 at Twickenham.
"It's the old two-card trick, another one of those great old coaches, Bob Dwyer in 1991, threw that one out and there was a response then from the England side," Jones said.
"Maybe if they hadn't played like that they would have two World Cups on their sleeves. There are many different ways to play the game.
"I give you a book and you think it is interesting, I give it to someone else and he thinks it is rubbish, so what is right? Nothing is right.
"Find a way to play the game effectively - that is the great thing about our game. We know what we're good at."
Mako Vunipola and wing Jack Nowell are ready to make their Japan 2019 debuts off the bench against Argentina having recovered from hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.
Vunipola has played just 17 minutes of rugby since May 11 after his comeback against Ireland during the warm-up Tests was aborted due to damaged scar tissue, but he is now ready to join his brother Billy in the pack.
"Mako, at his best, is probably the best loosehead in the world and to have the calmness that he brings," Jones added.
"He's a senior counsel for our team. We have got a reasonably young team and Mako has that calmness.
"You've always got two brothers in Mako and Billy and one's a bit more volatile, the other is a bit more settled, so Mako was always up at the front with the parents and Billy was in the back, screaming.
"Billy is great for us because he has got that fire and temperament and you want that from your number eight.
"You look at the history of the World Cups and they've always been won by big number eights."
