Wallabies won't get a better chance

14 April 2012

Clive Woodward today turned the heat up on Australian coach Eddie Jones by claiming the Wallabies "have never had a better chance to beat England".

Woodward and Jones have enjoyed a love-hate relationship for years and it reached a crescendo at the World Cup Final when England triumphed in Sydney last November.

It made all the crass Australian talk about England being a one-man team and bad for the game redundant as Martin Johnson lifted the trophy. Woodward was subsequently knighted, which gave Jones the chance to mark England's arrival in Australia after successive defeats by New Zealand by asking: "What's the protocol for talking to a knight?"

England's head coach responded by informing the local media that they could call him "Clive" but that Jones would have to use "Sir."

Now, Woodward has piled the pressure on Jones by insisting his injuryhit England team are there for the taking after a run of five successive triumphs over the Wallabies - if the beaten World Cup finalists are good enough to do the job.

Australia will field the majority of their final side while England could be down to just three or four survivors, highlighting the retirements, fatigue and injuries that have hit the squad.

Woodward said: "What I have been most proud about during my period as coach is the record of 12 straight wins we achieved against Southern Hemisphere teams before coming on this tour.

"It includes five successive wins over Australia and Eddie Jones has never had a better chance to beat England - but he hasn't done it yet. We will be up for what is the last Test match of a very successful 12 months, which has seen England win the World Cup.

"There will be no excuses from England and, as I have said, Australia, have never had a better opportunity. Let's see if they can take it. The Wallabiesare very well equipped to beat us and when you are in a process of rebuilding - as we are - it gives the opposition a chink to exploit. They are far more experienced and have a lot to prove and they won't have a better chance for a long time."

Patently, with Woodward ramming home the point, Jones and his Wallabies will be aware of the mind games the World Cup holders are attempting to use to boost an England squad that today waved goodbye to London Wasps centre Stuart Abbott, who is returning home for an operation on his damaged shoulder.

England believe that World Cup winners Trevor Woodman, who will start next season with Sale, and Saracens flanker Richard Hill have good chances of recovering from injury to face Australia. Their presence would be a major boost and allow Woodward to name the same pack that started so well against New Zealand in last Saturday's Second Test.

The back division is likely to feature Bath's Olly Barkley in a centre role, although Mike Tindall, his club-mate, could also confound medical opinion and make it on to the pitch here on Saturday-night. If Tindall is out, then England could turn to Mike Catt, whose arrival as a replacement in the World Cup quarter-final against Wales on the same Brisbane pitch ensured their campaign did not fail.

Catt said: "It is a great feeling to be back in Brisbane and there are great memories. But this is not about the World Cup - it's a totally different situation with a lot of new players in the England side.

"I don't believe the Cup triumph will have any relevance for us, but it will be a motivating factor for the Wallabies."

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