Eddie Jones claims even the barista in his local coffee shop is bagging his underdog England side ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations title eliminator with Ireland.
Jones today recalled Sam Simmonds at No.8 in place of Covid victim Alex Dombrandt, who drops to the bench. He has also brought in Joe Marchant to replace Elliot Daly in midfield.
Kyle Sinckler (back) and Tom Curry (concussion) were both passed fit to start. Joe Launchbury makes his long-awaited return from injury on the bench.
But nothing has changed in the Australian’s pre-match insistence that his side are underdogs - a year after England lost to all three home union opponents in the championship for the first time since 1976.
Jones said: “What I know is that Ireland are red hot favourites.
“I went to the coffee shop yesterday and the girl says: 'That Irish team must be good, all their ex players think they’re going to win the game and all the ex-England players think they’re going to win the game.
“'They must be a pretty good team. How you feeling?' I said: 'Just give me the coffee please.'"
Jones once again talked up Irish cohesiveness, claiming 80 per cent of their team train together for 11 months of the year.
He declared: “It’s a semi-final. One of the two teams progresses to the final which is the last game.
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“Both teams know what’s at stake - but if you read the papers there is only one team that has a chance of winning it.
“I’m not a bookmaker, I’m a coach,” he added. “All I’m worried about is my team playing well. We’re prepared and we’re going to go after them, mate.
“They’re a highly organised national union that gets the players in the best condition so we’ve got to break their cohesion.
“Once we break their cohesion, we’ll have opportunities to attack and we’ve then got to be good enough to take them.”
ENGLAND XV
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 8 caps)
14. Max Malins (Saracens, 13 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 10 caps)
12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 46 caps) (VC)
11. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 37 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 8 caps)
9. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 4 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 34 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 64 caps) (VC)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 50 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 54 caps)
5. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 91 caps) (C)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 39 caps) (VC)
8. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
REPLACEMENTS
16. Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 77 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 18 caps)
19. Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 69 caps)
20. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 7 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 115 caps)
22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 79 caps)
23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 55 caps)
