Eddie Jones has defended Owen Farrell’s controversial tackling technique after another lucky escape for his co-captain against Australia, insisting: “I like people being hit hard.”
The Australia head coach, Michael Cheika, was furious his side were not awarded a penalty try for Farrell’s no-arms tackle on Izack Rodda, branding the decision “ludicrous”, but while Jones admitted his fly-half’s approach is risky, he will not encourage him to change his ways.
Farrell used his shoulder to prevent Rodda scoring a try on the stroke of half-time on Saturday. The referee Jaco Peyper opted against awarding a penalty try and did not consult the TMO, offering the bizarre explanation that the Wallabies lock had also dropped his shoulder.
Johnny Sexton was crowned World Rugby Player of the Year on Sunday on a night of sweeping success for Ireland. Joe Schmidt scooped the coach of the year award, with Ireland named team of the year in a triple win for the 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam winners at the World Rugby Awards.
British and Irish Lions fly-half Sexton has become the first northern hemisphere winner of World Rugby's top accolade since France's Thierry Dusautoir in 2011.
"It's been an incredible year for Irish rugby, to win everything we could, really," Sexton said. "Teams try to peak for World Cup years. People ask have we peaked too soon? Well we haven't peaked, so we're just getting better and hopefully we can continue to do that. You have to improve ahead of the general curve. We know everyone else is going to get better. We've got to deal with being favourites and I'm sure we can do that."
Sexton's stunning drop-goal on the 41st phase of the final play secured Ireland a 15-13 win over France in Paris, as Schmidt's men set the ball rolling on just their third-ever Grand Slam.
The lynchpin playmaker also guided Leinster to the PRO14-Champions Cup double, before starring when Ireland toppled back-to-back world champions New Zealand 16-9 in Dublin earlier this month. PA
Sir Clive Woodward, in his role as a TV pundit, acknowledged: “England have got away with that one”, and had a penalty try been awarded, Australia would have gone into half-time 17-13 ahead. Cheika conceded England were deserved winners after scoring three tries after the break but things may have been different had Farrell been sent to the sin-bin considering it was his pass that set Elliot Daly away for his 44th-minute try.
“The referee said it was good. When he says it’s not good, we’ll have a chat about it,” said Jones. “When you hit people hard, you place yourself at risk. And he hits people hard. I like people being hit hard. Obviously we want to be within the laws. Owen doesn’t try to tackle outside of the laws so he’ll keep on working on that.”
It is the second time this month Farrell’s technique has been questioned after he escaped punishment for a similar no-arms tackle against South Africa’s André Esterhuizen in the dying moments of England’s 12-11 victory. World Rugby has since acknowledged a penalty should have been awarded, which would have given the Springboks a shot at goal to win the match.
Jones, meanwhile, has turned his attentions to next year’s Six Nations and England’s trip to Dublin on the opening weekend. This year, Ireland claimed only their third ever grand slam by becoming the first side to beat Jones’s England at Twickenham and the head coach said: “We owe them one. They’re the top team in Europe now. We want to be the top team in Europe. It’s pretty simple.”
After three wins from four this month, Jones singled out Mark Wilson, Joe Cokanasiga and Manu Tuilagi, who won his first cap for more than two-and-a-half years on Saturday, as England’s success stories. The 18-stone Cokanasiga impressed again with his second try in as many Tests but Jones bristled at comparisons between the 21-year-old and the All Blacks great Jonah Lomu. “Lomu nearly won a World Cup for New Zealand,” said Jones. “When Joe nearly wins a World Cup for us, he won’t be good enough, because he has to win a World Cup for us. Then you can start talking about Lomu.”
Tuilagi made an eye-catching cameo having finally overcome the niggling groin injuries that ruled him out of England’s three previous November Tests. He said: “I was nervous throughout the whole thing,” he said. “We had a massive session on Wednesday and, because it was contact and a fast game, if I got through that I would be all right and thank God I got through it. All the stuff goes through your head.”
