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Jones makes three changes to his squad for South Africa
By Online Editors
England head coach Eddie Jones has finalised selection ahead of England’s tour to South Africa next month. The updated 34-man squad has convened at Pennyhill Park today to begin their final preparations before flying to South Africa on Saturday for the three-Test series.
There are three changes to the squad. Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps) and Jason Woodward (Gloucester Rugby) are included following the withdrawal of Cameron Redpath (knee), Ben Te’o (small repair to quad muscle) and Jack Willis (knee).
England last won a match in South Africa in 2000 and were disappointing in a 63-45 defeat to the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday.
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But head coach Jones, a former Springboks assistant who guided Japan to a stunning upset of the traditional powerhouse at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, believes his inside knowledge can make the difference.
"I probably understand the South African rugby psyche, as well as anyone, having had experiences there," he said. "And I know what they are going to be like when they play England.
"There are certain cultural issues between the two countries that provide great motivation for the South Africans.
"You have to be able to exploit that and use it in a positive way.
"How can you use their dislike of the English to create an opportunity for yourself because you know [in the first Test] at Ellis Park they will be unbelievably passionate and aggressive for the first 20 minutes.
"That creates opportunities for us. We have to be good enough to understand those opportunities and execute them."
Following the first Test on June 9, the teams meet in Bloemfontein on June 16 and Cape Town seven days later.
England squad for South Africa Tour
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Cipriani (Wasps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Ben Earl (Saracens) *
Nathan Earle (Saracens) *
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Piers Francis (Northampton Saints)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs) *
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Dan Robson (Wasps) *
Brad Shields (Hurricanes/ Wasps) *
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)
Ben Spencer (Saracens) *
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
Mark Wilson (Newcastle)
Jason Woodward (Gloucester Rugby) *
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Uncapped *
Not available for selection
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Alex Lewington (London Irish)
Harry Mallinder (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors)
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Jack Willis (Wasps)
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Has there ever been a Red and Black you don't rate GP over the years? However to be fair most of your favs have had the goods.
Go to commentsI'm not very hopeful of a better change to the sport. Putting an Aussie in charge after they failed for two decades is just disgusting. What else will be brought in to weaken the game? What new rule changes will be made? How will the game be grown?
Nothing of value in this letter. There is no definitive drive towards something better. Just more of the same as usual. The most successful WC team is getting snubbed again and again for WC's hosting rights. What will make other competitions any different?
My beloved rugby is already a global sport. Why is there no SH team chosen between the Boks, AB's, Wallabies and Fiji? Like a B&I Lions team to tour Europe and America? A team that could face not only countries but also the B&I Lions? Wouldn't that make for a great spectacle that will also bring lots of eyeballs to the sport?
Instead with an Aussie in charge, rugby will become more like rugby league. Rugby will most likely become less global if we look at what have become of rugby in Australia. He can't save rugby in Australia, how will he improve the global footprint of rugby world wide?
I hope to be proven wrong and that he will raise up the sport to new heights, but I am very much in doubt. It's like hiring a gardener to a CEO position in a global company expecting great results. It just won't happen. Call me negative or call me whatever you'd like, Robinson is the wrong man for the job.
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