Tokyo (AFP)

Afterwards, they "will have a beer together". But before the World Cup semi-final between their two teams on Saturday in Yokohama, England coaches Eddie Jones and New Zealand's Steve Hansen will not spare any shot of "mind games", the struggles of 'influences to reverse the pressure on the opponent.

They know each other only too well, having begun to cross iron almost twenty years ago. Born a year apart, former honest players never international, Jones (59) the former hooker and Hansen (60 years) the former center and crossed for the first time in 2000 when the second, then deputy to the Crusaders, wins the Super Rugby beating in final the Brumbies of the first.

The Australian Jones will reach the supreme title of the provinces of the Southern hemisphere the following year, before taking in hand the Wallabies (2001-2005), when Hansen will leave New Zealand to become head coach. In Wales (2002-2004), before returning to the country to become assistant of the All Blacks: he climbed on top of the world once (2011), then four years later alone at the controls.

Jones has also been in a sacred frame king of the planet, that of South Africa (2007), as a consultant. Before taking control of Japan (2012-2015), led to a historic victory against South Africa at the World Cup-2015, then the XV of the Rose.

In short, the two men have often crossed, and appreciate each other. They also exchanged messages, after their respective quarter-final victory (against Australia for England, Ireland for New Zealand) which sent them against each other Saturday. "We wrote the same thing: look forward to seeing you and no matter what, we'll have a beer afterwards," revealed Hansen.

- "Ability to feel the blows" -

At their press conference on Tuesday, they also almost rivaled flattery. Especially Hansen, speaking of Jones as "a smart guy" who "likes the game", has "this ability to feel the blows and pass it on to his assistants and players", and has a "work ethic".

Jones was a little less prolific: "Above all, he's a good guy, then he has a huge track record, we can not do better."

But the Australian madré had kept under his elbow for New Zealand as a whole and put pressure on him in one of these struggles of influences that he masters to perfection, in old road of the international circuit.

He said that the training of England, always Tuesday, had been filmed from the building opposite. Of course, "he could very well be a Japanese supporter," but everyone understood that he probably did not think of a word.

The message was over, and his (New Zealand) Deputy John Mitchell passed the second round on Wednesday insinuating that the All Blacks were behind this spying attempt.

- "Here's a title for you!" -

Second shot of pressure: he felt that the New Zealanders had precisely a maximum pressure, unlike his team, being double holders of the title and "backed by" 120 million Japanese ". national reporters of "supporters with a keyboard."

Hansen having held his press conference before, he could not answer. But he still laid a stone in the English Garden, believing that the member federations of the Six Nations Tournament, which had derailed the World Rugby World League project, thought more of "their personal interests" than the development of the rugby.

"Here is a title for you!" added Hansen journalists, less seductive than Jones, more falsely tongue-in-cheek, but just as skilled in the art of "mind games".

"Sometimes you have to use it, sometimes no," he explained, "Eddie will decide, I've already decided what I'll do, you have to be patient, you have a few days left . " Eddie has decided, and we are eager to hear Hansen's response on Thursday.

© 2019 AFP