Australia head into Saturday’s Cook Cup clash against England at Twickenham knowing they are just one more defeat away from equalling their worst run of seven straight losses.
But a win matters just as much to England, who have declined since winning the 2003 World Cup final and under current coach Andy Robinson have won just four of their last eight matches.
The world champions start their first Test of the northern season knowing the only major scalp they have claimed since Robinson succeeded Clive Woodward was that of South Africa last November.
The former Test flanker has picked a powerful pack, the front row alone weighing in at a combined 350kg, while Bath duo Danny Grewock and Steve Borthwick form a solid lock pairing.
Australia’s tight five forwards have long been a Wallaby weakness and following last weekend’s 26-16 defeat against France in Marseille, Jones has brought blindside flanker John Roe and 22-year-old Test debutant Hugh McMenamin, a second row, into the pack.
Gaining and retaining possession has been a problem for Australia as they near their 36-year-old record losing streak and Jones said: ”Quality of possession in Test matches has been and probably always will be a key factor in the game.
”Our tight five’s working really hard on getting scrum right and the basis of our lineout right,” said the former Brumbies chief, who hopes the likes of McMenamin will have matured come the 2007 World Cup in France.
”In that area, we are playing against teams who do that for a living. Tight-five players over here get paid to scrum and lineout. Our guys don’t have that mentality and we’ve got to encourage it.
”You don’t have a game at Test match rugby unless you get those first pieces right. If we do well in the tight five, we’ll do well in the game. Is that the only problem we’ve got? No. But it is an area we need to improve in.”
Elsewhere Jones has dropped former rugby league international Wendell Sailor from his entire 22 with Mark Gerrard, reckoned to have a better all-round game, in at right wing.
But it’s a different story for another ex-Kangaroo in Mat Rogers who has been shifted in from the left wing to flyhalf where he distinguished himself in September’s 34-24 defeat against the All Blacks.
Rogers’s positional switch saw Matt Giteau the star of last year’s 21-19 victory over England at Twickenham, dropped to the bench.
”He’s got enormous free rein. Mat’s an instinctive sort of footballer and we want him to make decisions,” said Jones of Rogers.
After the France match there were renewed calls for George Gregan to be dropped following a lacklustre display. But the scrum-half, the world’s most capped player with 115 Test appearances, survived.
Few scrum-halves play well behind a faltering pack but Gregan’s performance will be under the microscope, especially if the 32-year-old is unable to make the most of half-breaks.
England too have a World Cup-winning scrum-half with a point to prove in Matt Dawson, making his first England start since February’s Six Nations opener against Wales in February.
Outside him is Charlie Hodgson, who by his own admission was successfully ”sledged” by Australian players during last year’s corresponding fixture.
Much will depend upon the Sale flyhalf, a fine playmaker but fallible goalkicker.
”Obviously, since the last World Cup we have not stayed still and not moved forward — we have dropped off the pace,” said Robinson.
England are about to find out if they are up to speed. – Sapa-AFP