England host France in the Autumn Nations Cup final at Twickenham on Sunday (2pm kick-off). Les Bleus head into the game without 25 of their best players due to a rotation agreement with the Top 14
Friday 4 December 2020 16:48, UK
England head coach Eddie Jones says Sir Clive Woodward's belief that rugby is becoming "boring" due to the amount of kicking is disrespectful.
In his latest column for the Daily Mail, Woodward, who guided England to World Cup glory in 2003, claimed that too many games were boring and called on inventive coaches like Eddie Jones to "bust rugby out of its complete yawn rut".
However, Jones believes Woodward's comments were disrespectful to the game, telling Sky Sports: "Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't think that rugby is ever boring.
"Rugby is such a fantastic sport and to say that I think is being disrespectful to the players and disrespectful to the sport. The game is played in a number of different ways and it can be won in a number of different ways.
"I can remember playing against England where we were mauled for 50 yards - I'm sure that wasn't boring at that time!"
Jones is busy preparing England for their Autumn Nations Cup final against France - a game that is viewed as a giant mismatch.
The 107th meeting between the rivals is arguably the most lopsided Test in history with England fielding their most seasoned line-up of all time containing 813 caps, while France will arrive at Twickenham with a mere 68 caps.
The vast disparity in appearances is the result of constraints placed on head coach Fabien Galthie by an agreement between the French Rugby Federation and the Top 14 clubs over availability.
Each player can be picked a maximum three times across the autumn's six Tests and having relied on his front line internationals earlier in the campaign, Galthie is forced to send a shadow team to Twickenham.
It has devalued the final to the extent that Ibanez, the former France and Wasps hooker, admits "seen from abroad this final can be regarded as 'a farce'. We can understand them".
Yet Eddie Jones has played down the benefit of having an additional 745 caps, adding that 8/1 underdogs France - hosts of the 2023 World Cup - must be respected.
"It's no advantage. They've got a squad in place and are playing different members of their squad," Jones said.
"We've been able to select from the core of our squad, so it's one squad against the other one. No one gets a head start, it's all-square when we run out there on Sunday.
"France have a strong team. You just have to look back at 2009 when they went on tour to New Zealand.
"In the first game of the tour they didn't have a lot of their senior players available and they won that Test.
"We know the French are capable of great things. They've got great depth in their Top 14. We respect French rugby, you can never underestimate a French team.
"At the moment they're on a project to win the World Cup in 2023 and this is part of their project."
The climax to an autumn spanning an unprecedented five Tests will be played out in front of a 2,000 crowd following the easing of lockdown restrictions.
England have stitched together an impressive seven-Test winning run without putting their best foot forward in attack and, despite the new faces in France's ranks, they are determined to avenge their only defeat of the year that unfolded in Paris in February.
"It's such an exciting final for rugby - to have fans back, to have probably the two best sides in Europe playing in the final of an inaugural competition which has produced some good, tough rugby. It's a great opportunity to showcase the game," Jones said.
"My message to the players will be to put every bit of effort into every minute of the game and win every battle.
"The game will be a series of battles, whether that's in the air, on the ground, in the scrum or the line-out. We've got to make sure we commit ourselves to every battle."
