Scotland can expect hostile Twickenham welcome as revenge for last year – Jones

Eddie Jones has promised Scotland a hostile welcome at Twickenham as revenge for the treatment England received at Murrayfield last year.

Guinness Six Nations glory remains within reach heading into Saturday’s final round with Wales’ Grand Slam game against Ireland the most influential fixture in shaping the destination of the title.

Victory over Gregor Townsend’s side could seize the title, however, and Jones revealed his players will be fired up by memories of their defeat in Edinburgh.

Ryan Wilson baited George Ford in the tunnel before kick off, provoking intervention from Owen Farrell, and the following day Jones was abused at a Manchester train station by Scotland supporters.

England’s head coach later admitted it was no longer safe for him to travel by public transport and felt pre-match comments from Gavin Hastings, who said Scotland would love nothing more than ‘to rub Eddie Jones’s face in the dirt’, contributed to the fans’ disgraceful behaviour.

“Every game against Scotland has extra on it,” Jones said after Italy had been overwhelmed 57-14.

“They have a healthy dislike of the English and we would certainly like to reciprocate the welcome we got up there last year.

“It will be a pretty physical. I’ll bring a few of my mates back from La Perouse (a suburb in Randwick, Australia). All I’ll say is that we’ll be ready for them.”

In reference to the less febrile atmosphere at Twickenham, Jones continued: “It’s nice, isn’t it. It’s all leather patches, brogue shoes. It’s nice.

“You don’t get people telling you where to go, you don’t get people spitting on you, you don’t get people grabbing you round the head and telling you what you should do, so it’s different. So we’ll make sure the hostility is on the field.

Three men were fined by Magistrates for the abuse they directed at Jones outside Oxford Road rail station and while the Australian was visibly shaken at the time, he now dismisses the incident.

“I get drunks doing that every day, in one fashion or the other, so it doesn’t worry me. If it did worry me I wouldn’t go outside,” Jones said.

Jones could face a selection dilemma on the right wing if Jack Nowell recovers from his shoulder stinger injury after Joe Cokanasiga took advantage of his absence to bulldoze his way through Italy.

Fijian-born Bath wing Cokanasiga was magnificent as he swatted aside the Azzurri with a succession of rampaging runs, although he caused his head coach a few palpitations by repeatedly carrying the ball in one hand.

“As long as he does it well we don’t see any sort of issue with it. When it gets knocked out of his hand then he might have to change it. At the moment he can do it, so great,” Jones said.

Cokanasiga attempted to give his man of the match medal to two-try Manu Tuilagi, who declined, and even made an appearance at number eight for one scrum.

“I get a good feel of the ball in just one hand, and if the opportunity comes, then I’ll do it. I’ve got to be careful though because you could easily get a knock-on. I probably should take it with two,” the 21-year-old said.

“It comes naturally, I don’t really think about it. I am not there to do it for entertainment. As long as I am enjoying the way I play it, then I’m happy.”

For all the fireworks in his fourth Test appearance, Jones derided Sir Clive Woodward’s comparison of Cokanasiga with the great Jonah Lomu.

“That’s ridiculous. That tells you why when you have the television on you should have the commentary down,” Jones said.

“The guy has just started. Lomu almost won a World Cup for New Zealand, changed the way the game’s played. So let’s get serious about it.”