Eddie Jones wasted no time lighting a fuse under England’s potential Six Nations grand-slam decider against Wales on Saturday week after crushing France. Jones pointedly challenged comments made by Warren Gatland last year that England and Wales were “poles apart” and turned up the pressure on the New Zealander by claiming his team were “the greatest Welsh side ever”.
Jones’s side moved top of the Six Nations table on Sunday with a 44-8 victory over France – Jonny May’s first-half hat-trick guiding England to their biggest win over France since 1911. Thanks to Wales’s lacklustre win on Saturday over Italy – their record-equalling 11th in a row – only they and England remain in the hunt for the grand slam, adding further spice to their Cardiff fixture.
England may be without Mako Vunipola after he suffered an ankle injury against France and Jones does not expect Dylan Hartley or Maro Itoje to make a return for the trip to Wales for what Gatland has suggested will be a title decider. Jones, however, was more bothered by Gatland’s remarks last year, which came after England had lost five consecutive Tests, having finished last year’s Six Nations in fifth place. “If I remember the comments, we weren’t doing so well and the gap between us was massive,” Jones said. “So let’s see how big the gap is next Saturday.”
Jones has a 100% winning record against Wales since his appointment as the England coach but while his side were victorious on their last trip to Cardiff, two years ago, Rob Howley was in charge of the home side, with Gatland on sabbatical because of his Lions commitments. It means Saturday week’s match will be the first time Gatland and Jones have locked horns at the Principality Stadium.
“We’re playing the greatest Welsh side ever,” Jones said. “We’re going to have to be at our absolute best. Preparation starts on Wednesday. You know you’re playing against a Warren Gatland side.
“Any time England play Wales it is a special match. Because of the history of the two countries and the history of rugby between the two countries – it’s special. I have never found it to be a fortress. You go there and it is a tough game, they are a good side, [there is a] loud crowd but it has never been a fortress to me.”