Sapporo (Japan) (AFP)

Eternal smile on the corner of the lips, the coach Eddie Jones attacks his fourth World Cup against Tonga, Sunday (19:15 local, 12:15 French). His experience will be a valuable asset to England who dreams of a second coronation.

2003 with Australia? Final. 2007 (assistant) with the Springboks? Title! 2015 with Japan? Historic victory over South Africa, before elimination ... In three world cups, 59-year-old Eddie Jones, son of Australian soldier and American-Japanese mother, swept the specter of performance.

And his past experiences allow him to have an informed opinion on the players of the XV of the Rose, which he took the reins just after elimination in group phase in 2015.

"They worked hard," he says, "physically, I have never seen the team at this level and off the pitch, they have also worked hard to be a tight team, supportive."

"And that's what will come into play during the World Cup, because a World Cup is like a roller coaster," he says.

Never stingy with a good word, he develops his analogy of the carousel: "At this moment, we are at the top of the slope, we look down - everyone is nervous, everyone is excited. descent, and you do not know if you're going to vomit or if you're going to resist. "

-'Virages, accidents, joy'-

"We have to adapt to this type of sensation and the players are ready to face the roller coaster because there will be turns, accidents, there will be joy."

Eddie Jones pauses slightly, and sums up in his nasal voice: "We want to enjoy all those moments, the team is ready for that".

This approach aims to bring out the XV of the Rose from the "Death Hen" (C) where France and Argentina are the other two serious contenders for qualifying for the quarter-finals. And there will be a branded victim.

Before the United States on Thursday, then the two big pieces, Argentina (October 5) and France (October 12), the English have an appointment with Tonga, under the roof of the Dome of Sapporo, in the North Island of Japan (Hokkaido).

"We're really happy to play in such a stadium, in it you put 45,000 people," he says admiringly, "it's going to be great, it's going to be fantastic." What a great way to start the tournament ".

Only downside: the size of the field that replaces the usual baseball area through a very sophisticated system.

"The field is a little shorter, we will have to adapt to it, as the Tongans will have to adapt to, but the players are aware of it." Leave nothing to chance; the weight of experience ...

Composition of the teams for the match England-Tonga, Sunday (19:15 local, 12:15 French) in Sapporo:

England: Daly - A. Watson, Tuilagi, O. Farrell (cap.), May - (o) Ford, (m) B. Youngs - Underhill, B. Vunipola, Curry - Itoje, Lawes - Sinckler, George, Marler

Tonga: Halaifonua - Pakalani, Piutau (cap.), Vuna, Lolohea - (o) Morath, (m) Takulua - Kapeli, Vaipulu, Kalamafoni - Fifita, Lousi - Tameifuna, Sakalia, 'Fisiihoi

Referee: Mr. Williams (NZL)

replacements:

England: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Cole, Kruis, Ludlam, Heinz, Slade, Jon. Joseph

Tonga: Maile, Talakai, Fia, Faleafa, Manu, Fukofuka, Faiva, Tu'itavake

© 2019 AFP