Cricketer 'enthralled' England squad ahead of Los Pumas clash
England intend hitting Argentina for six after cricket World Cup winner Jonny Bairstow visited their camp to deliver a motivational talk for Sunday’s autumn opener at Twickenham.
Eddie Jones’ squad were captivated as Bairstow told how he dealt with the highs and lows of his career, most recently the difficulty in coming to terms with the broken leg sustained during a freak golfing accident that has forced him to miss the T20 World Cup currently being staged in Australia.
England face the Pumas in the opening match of the Autumn Nations Series and Bairstow, who played for Yorkshire in age grade rugby, offered an insight into how he copes with pressure as they continue the countdown to their own global showpiece.
“Jonny was fantastic. He’s a big rugby fan, a number 10. He had the boys enthralled for an hour,” Jones said.
“He’s a great guy, loves his sport. He’s a dedicated sportsman and he loved watching training. Wants to bat at five he tells me.”
All eyes will be on Manu Tuilagi as the powerful Sale centre makes his first England appearance for a year after being hampered by hamstring and knee injuries.
Expectation is balanced with caution considering Tuilagi’s history of breaking down and Jones admits a player he is desperate to have available for the World Cup faces an important 80 minutes.
“Manu is in great nick. Psychologically he’s really focused, the medical staff in conjunction with Sale have done a great job in getting him back and this game is the big test,” Jones said.
“He is much more mature now than when I started with England in 2016. Most of those tearaway centres, when they are young they never stretch, they never do all the things they have got to because they just run hard. They are bit silly, all of those powerful centres.
“Now he has got a good opportunity to put together a great 12 months of rugby. He has kept himself healthy, Sale are looking after him well and we hope to get the best out of him.
“The players love playing with him because he is an engaging guy and he brings that physicality, so you have got this engaging guy who brings physicality and takes other players with him.”
England and Argentina clash in the group phase of next year’s World Cup and Jones is looking forward to their Twickenham appointment.
“It won’t dictate the result at the World Cup but one team will learn a bit more about the other,” he said.
“Whatever happens on Sunday we can take things away from it. It comes down to how much we learn about them and how much they learn about you.
“It’s very important for rugby to have a strong Argentina. They have always played a distinctive way and they have been a great World Cup team. They come together at World Cups and it has probably helped them not having a Super Rugby side.
“Having the Jaguares maybe took a little bit of the national emphasis away. The players come together now from all parts of the world and they are so proud to play for Argentina.”
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wel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
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