'We're not a team humming along like a big V8 revving down the highway... we have always got problems'
England escaped the Friday morning London fog in search of their seventh successive win when they take on struggling Wales in Llanelli in their final Autumn Nations Cup pool game - but they headed off down the motorway for Saturday's game with a reminder from Eddie Jones that they are not perfect.
The 2020 Six Nations champions are looking to add the new Nations Cup to the RFU trophy cabinet when they likely host France in London in next weekend's final. But the all-seeing Jones is on their case to ensure there is no room for complacency in a match versus the Welsh that England are tipped to win comfortably.
"There are always problems," he said ahead of the only away game England will play in their four-match Nations Cup campaign. "I have never known a team not to have problems and a good team is always looking for problems, looking for how they solve problems.
"There were things at training Wednesday we need to tidy up in terms of our defence that we are looking at. There are some technical issues but they are always surrounded by attitudinal issues and we have always got them. We have never not got them.
"It's like going from the semi-final of the World Cup. You play a game with everyone saying you're fantastic but you're not fantastic as we found out in the World Cup final and we're taking that approach to this game. We're not fantastic, we know we have got to improve, we know we have got to get better, we know we have got to play with more intensity.
"You're never (fully) on it... we were on it for maybe 60 minutes of the Ireland game but not for 80 minutes. You always have to look at how you can tidy it up. We have got a lot of problems here. We are sorting out problems every day. We are sorting out problems today.
"There is always a problem there. We're not a team that is humming along and is like a big V8 that is revving down the highway. We have always got problems and we are always trying to fix those problems.
"Wales have been sitting around all week with people talking about England and the challenge we will bring. They have been prodded and been told their coach is under pressure. There will be a lot of desire and intent. Just look at their team, it's a strong team. They have got good players all across the park so we can't underestimate them."
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I just can't agree with 8.5 for Ross Byrne. A 6 at best I would think.
Go to commentsI wouldn't take it personally that you didn't hear from Gatland, chief.
It's likely he just doesn't have your phone number.
You can't polish a turd. No coach can change that team at the moment.
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