As is the case during the autumn internationals on Thursday morning we were all set for a team announcement ahead of England facing Fiji. However in a break from the norm Eddie Jones has chosen to postpone his team announcement until Friday due to some injury concerns. England’s head coach stated that he’d ‘rather be accurate in naming the team’ as opposed to naming a side and then having to change it.
In terms of the regulations surrounding the autumn Tests then it is within his jurisdiction to do so. The Rugby World Cup had strict guidelines that teams had to be announced 48 hours prior to matches however under the tour agreement for these matches such a stipulation doesn’t exist.
So, what are the injury concerns? Well naturally England’s head coach wasn't too specific regarding individual players' injuries. Professional rugby is such that a player never truly runs out 100% fit, unless perhaps it's the opening game of the season, so diving into the specifics of knocks may work in Fiji's favour. What England’s head coach did say was the following:
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“Billy and Nathan are still carrying knocks from the previous game, Elliot Daly is still carrying knocks from the previous game so we're looking to see how they resolve themselves in the next 24 hours before we make a final decision.”
Equally Eddie Jones added that Jonny May ‘isn’t 100 per cent fit to play Test rugby' and that Tom Wood was back at Pennyhill Park but currently suffering from illness. Regardless of the injury issues England’s head coach has been content with their preparation this week:
“We’ve had great preparation. Our training on Tuesday was probably the most intense training we’ve had as a team together. There was really excellent intent, attitude, effort and execution. As a result we just had a light session today [Thursday].”
“I’m not concerned [about injury disruption] but we just need to have clear pictures of who’s fit and who's not fit and we don’t have that at the moment. Once I’ve got that clear picture we’ll name the team and get on with it. The players know who is going to play and who is not going to play and who is going to play if people are injured so we’ve got great clarity in what we’re going to do.”
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One individual that could be a part of Saturday's fixture is Northampton Saints' Teimana Harrison. We all remember that the Northampton Saint, as well as his club teammate Luther Burrell, received the shepherd’s crook in Australia and one can only imagine that, that treatment hurt. Eddie Jones highlighted that taking off the back row forward so early in Australia wasn’t a difficult decision and now he believes the back-rower has come back stronger as a result:
“It wasn't difficult because it was the best thing to do for the team and he realises that. Like any player he's got to go away and work on his game and he's done that. He's bounced back very well. He's got a bit more oomph and his tackling's got a bit more oomph, so has his ball carrying. He's built himself up considerably so if he does play on Saturday he deserves his opportunity.”
Of course we won’t know until Friday if Teimana Harrison will be playing a starting role or coming off the bench, that perhaps depends on the fitness of those around him as much as his form? However you can guarantee that if he does play a part then he will throw himself no holds barred into a physical Fijian side to prove a point to himself and to his England
In terms of facing Fiji as a whole then the onus is on England to play their own game and not work into the hands of John Mckee's side as Eddie Jones indicated:
“You can't join the party. They want to have a kava party. We don't want to have a kava party, we want to eat fish and chips, so we will be making sure we eat fish and chips on Saturday.
“You just don't want to open the game up too much. You go anywhere in Fiji, kids are playing with the ball, they are throwing it around. At the age of 10, kids can throw 15-metre torpedo passes through their legs, so we've got to play a very structured, controlled, positive game.”
The term fish and chips was Eddie Jones’ way of saying that his side need to focus on playing ‘English rugby’ - rugby that emanates from a strong framework and thrives from there. England want to ensure that they play their game on Saturday afternoon and not a game that Fiji wish to play. We see it all the time when Premiership teams when try to play against Saracens at Saracens' own game and get royally punished as a result.
This weekend's England’s focus must be about upping their performance level again, regardless of whatever the final injury picture is, and delivering. At the end of the day these things happen in professional sport and as they work towards their wider goal of 2019 the experience of weeks like this will be banked and help strengthen the side for the moments that matter.
