‘We get to spoil the party’ Eddie Jones ignites the build-up to England vs Wales

Eddie Jones has ignited the build-up to England’s clash with Wales in Cardiff on Saturday by heaping pressure on the hosts and declaring that his team are ready to be party-poopers.

There had been a notable absence of mind games in the countdown to this explosive Guinness Six Nations fixture, until the head coaches lit the fuses on either side of the border. 

Jones waded in first, seeking to load all the weight of expectation on Warren Gatland’s Wales side, who are aiming for a national record 12th successive Test victory. 

Eddie Jones ignited the build-up to England’s clash with Wales by heaping pressure on hosts 

Having named a line-up featuring two starting changes — Ben Moon and Jack Nowell replacing the injured Mako Vunipola and Chris Ashton, as forecast in Thursday’s Sportsmail — Jones cast England as the hunters and Wales as the hunted, suggesting that neutrals regard the Welsh as the ‘greatest team ever’.

He added: ‘We’ve all been delighted to see everyone talking about Wales, building up the expectation. That can be either wind in your sails or a ball and chain. We’ll find out on Saturday which one it is.

‘We’re going to play a team who are proud of their heritage, who are establishing their best winning record, their most famous coach is leaving and we get to be part of that. We get to spoil the party. We’re going to enjoy all of that.

‘They’re up to win 12 games in a row, it’s Warren’s last game (against England, in the Six Nations) as Wales coach before he takes over somewhere else. How lucky are we to be an England side going to play against Wales when they’re at their best? There will be 75,000 people in there going nuts and we’ve got a chance to spoil that party.’

Jack Nowell is one of two changes to England’s starting XV, replacing Chris Ashton on the wing

But Wales coach Gatland responded: ‘He’s taking the mick! It’s a big game but it’s not the biggest game we’ve played in. It’s only against England. The only quotes I can see about this being the “greatest Welsh team ever” have come from Eddie Jones, it hasn’t come from anyone else.

‘I wouldn’t be disrespectful enough to say this was the greatest Welsh team ever. It’s a long way off. He’s the one talking us up. We’re all pretty aware that we’re on a good run and have done well in the last 12 months but let’s try to keep our feet on the ground. This is another game — a big game — for us, but we’re pretty excited for it.

‘It is a great challenge and we are excited to play at home against a team who are really on form at the moment. Win this game and I think it sets you up mentally, as much as anything, for the rest of the year. 

‘I’ve already had a text from John Mitchell (England’s defence coach) and Eddie Jones and we’re looking forward to catching up. It’s all fun and games but afterwards it’s about catching up with mates, enjoying the occasion and what should be a great game of rugby.’

Warren Gatland dismissed Jones’s comments and insisted his rival was ‘taking the mick’

England had their own winning run after Jones took charge, going on to match the world record of 17 consecutive Test victories.

Asked about the difficulty of maintaining such momentum, Jones said: ‘You carry more expectation and it can work in two ways. The external part of that expectation grows and that’s something you don’t control, and how you handle that… you will never know until you’re there.

‘We know Wales teams at home want to come out hard. Our job is to be like that heavyweight boxer who knows exactly what he’s going to do, waits for the opportunity for the knockout and then takes it. We don’t want to get involved in endless spars that can’t win you the game. Just be calm, but at the same time tough, and have a real steel about us.’

Bath’s giant wing Joe Cokanasiga is poised for his Six Nations debut from the bench after making a strong impression in the autumn, while Brad Shields was preferred to Nathan Hughes as back-row cover, on account of his work-rate.

England will travel to Cardiff on Friday ahead of Saturday’s match at the Principality Stadium