Eddie Jones unconvinced by Jaguares

WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: England head coach Eddie Jones is not too concerned about facing Argentina at the World Cup, despite the Jaguares’ form in this year’s Super Rugby tournament.

The Jaguares had an impressive season reaching the final where they lost 3-19 to the Crusaders.

Players from the Jaguares will provide the bulk of Argentina’s World Cup squad, a team England will meet in the pool stages along with France, the United States and Tonga.

Jones told The Rugby Paper: “Do you think if England were playing Super Rugby we’d be in the Final? I guarantee we would be.

“Argentina are a very good team, but [the] Jaguares doing well in Super Rugby is not enough to convince me that they are better than that.

“We’ll take them seriously, play them with respect. They are a good World Cup side. Traditionally they play their best in World Cups,” he said.

Jones selected a 38-man World Cup training squad last week and he is hopeful his four-year plan will come to fruition later this year

“I’ve had a four-year plan. The first two years is building the base, which is about experienced players. And you hope those experienced players can continue on to the World Cup. Some do and some don’t – and the game changes a bit, which is something we don’t control.

“So, we’ve had to make alterations to some of the experienced guys who we maybe though would go to the World Cup, but now potentially aren’t going,” he said.

Source: The Rugby Paper & @AllBlacks