- Title: England has prepared well for South Africa
- Date: 10th November 2016
- Summary: PENNYHILL PARK, ENGLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) ENGLAND RUGBY UNION SQUAD TRAINING VARIOUS OF LINEOUT PRACTISE HEAD COACH EDDIE JONES FROM AUSTRALIA MORE LINEOUT PRACTISE WITH CAPTAIN AND HOOKER DYLAN HARTLEY THROWING BALL IN JONES AND HARTLEY AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND RUGBY UNION HEAD COACH EDDIE JONES, FROM AUSTRALIA, SAYING: "We've had a great two-week preparation. We want to change the history of results between England and South Africa over the last period of time and we've prepared for that. We've picked a strong side. As you know there's been a lot of injuries, but in reality we haven't given a second thought to those injuries because we've been busily preparing this squad and things are coming together very nicely. So we're very excited. You know we're an ambitious team, we want to be the number one team in the world, so this game against South Africa on Saturday is another step forward, so we're looking forward to it" SCRUM PRACTISE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONES SAYING: "We've had a good two-week preparation, but nothing's like your first Test match. So it's going to be the adaptability of the players to cope with that; the stress and the speed and the physicality of it early and we believe we've prepared for that" JONES AT TRAINING WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT :) CENTRE JONATHAN JOSEPH, ASSISTANT COACH STEVE BORTHWICK AND CENTRE OWEN FARRELL CENTRE ELLIOT DALY (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONES SAYING OF CENTRE JONATHAN JOSEPH (JJ) BEING ON BENCH AND ELLIOT DALY PLAYING: "Well JJ missed a little bit of training last week, not a great deal, but I just feel that Elliot's a bit sharper at the moment, suits the game plan we want to play and he's done well in the Tests as he's come off the bench. JJ is a very good player and certainly back in contention to start further down the track" BACKS TRAINING LINEOUT PRACTISE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND-BORN ENGLAND CAPTAIN AND HOOKER DYLAN HARTLEY SAYING OF FACING SOUTH AFRICA, WHO THEY HAVEN'T BEATEN IN 10 YEARS: "Look it's just the next game; next game for me, next game for the team. Next game (for) our progress as a team. So in terms of looking back, look, no-one in the team has won against South Africa, so there's an opportunity for us there, a big 'carrot'. But look, we just want to progress, we just want to get better each game and at the moment South Africa are in our way; that's our next game, so we're ready for that" VARIOUS OF SQUAD IN HUDDLE ON PITCH
- Embargoed: 25th November 2016 13:34
- Keywords: Rugby union England Eddie Jones South Africa Daly Hartley
- Location: PENNYHILL PARK, ENGLAND, UK
- City: PENNYHILL PARK, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00157V29MN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The England rugby union squad is confident of beating South Africa for the first time in 10 years when the two sides meet at Twickenham on Saturday (November 12).
Head coach Eddie Jones said on Thursday that they have prepared well, while captain Dylan Hartley said the past doesn't matter, it's the future that counts.
Jones told a news conference at the squad's Pennyhill Park training centre on Thursday that good preparation will make up for a big injury list.
"We've had a great two-week preparation. We want to change the history of results between England and South Africa over the last period of time and we've prepared for that. We've picked a strong side. As you know there's been a lot of injuries, but in reality we haven't given a second thought to those injuries because we've been busily preparing this squad and things are coming together very nicely. So we're very excited. You know we're an ambitious team, we want to be the number one team in the world, so this game against South Africa on Saturday is another step forward, so we're looking forward to it," said Jones.
He acknowledged, however, that being prepared wouldn't help if the players aren't adaptable.
"We've had a good two-week preparation, but nothing's like your first Test match. So it's going to be the adaptability of the players to cope with that; the stress and the speed and the physicality of it early and we believe we've prepared for that," said the Australian.
Elliot Daly will make his first start at centre on Saturday, the elusive Wasps back having made five international appearances off the bench.
Daly received the nod ahead of regular number 13 Jonathan Joseph ('JJ'), who has been battling a groin injury, but is named among the replacements.
"Well JJ missed a little bit of training last week, not a great deal, but I just feel that Elliot's a bit sharper at the moment, suits the game plan we want to play and he's done well in the Tests as he's come off the bench. JJ is a very good player and certainly back in contention to start further down the track," said Jones.
Captain and hooker Hartley said he was concentrating on progress, not history.
"Look it's just the next game; next game for me, next game for the team. Next game (for) our progress as a team. So in terms of looking back, look, no-one in the team has won against South Africa, so there's an opportunity for us there, a big 'carrot'. But look, we just want to progress, we just want to get better each game and at the moment South Africa are in our way; that's our next game, so we're ready for that," said the New Zealand-born Hartley.
South Africa were announcing their team later on Thursday.
England team:
15-Mike Brown, 14-Marland Yarde, 13-Elliot Daly, 12-Owen Farrell, 11-Jonny May, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs; 8- Billy Vunipola, 7-Tom Wood, 6-Chris Robshaw, 5-Courtney Lawes, 4-Joe Launchbury, 3-Dan Cole, 2-Dylan Hartley (captain), 1-Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16-Jamie George, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Kyle Sinckler 19-Dave Attwood, 20-Nathan Hughes, 21-Danny Care, 22-Ben Te'o, 23-Jonathan Joseph. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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