Lions Will Lose If They Try Play Like Wales – Eddie Jones
Written 5 months ago by Will O'Callaghan
England coach Eddie Jones believes the British and Irish Lions will “struggle” in their Test series in New Zealand – especially if they take on the All Blacks in a Welsh style.
Lions head coach Warren Gatland prefers a physical gameplan and Jones reckons the team will need to be more clever to beat New Zealand in their own backyard.
Jones told the Daily Telegraph’s Brian Moore on his Full Contact podcast: “I think it’s going to be very tough for them.
“I think they’ve picked a certain style of team based on the influence of the Welsh coaches, so I think they’re looking to attack like Wales, with big gain-line runners, with not much ball movement and I think you struggle to beat the All Blacks like that.
“It’s not only a big physical contest, it’s a big mental contest.
“You’ve got to be very disciplined in the way you play, you’ve got to chip away at them and you’ve got to keep the pressure on, you’ve got to exert pressure in areas that they don’t like, which is traditionally the close set-piece plays, and then have the ability, when you create opportunities, to turn that into points.
“Ireland did it really well (against New Zealand) and I think the Lions are going to struggle.
“Look, if they win the first Test they may win the series. If they don’t, then I think it will be a tough old series.”
Image – Harry Trump/Getty Images Europe
