7msports > Rugby Video > Jones unhappy with 'silly' Sexton question

Jones unhappy with 'silly' Sexton question

Friday, February 26 2016 by SNTV
  • England head coach Eddie Jones looked ahead to Saturday's (28th February) Six Nations showdown with Ireland at his press conference on Thursday (25th February) and was unhappy with a question on Johnny Sexton.

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Eddie Jones, England head coach

    (Q; What did you make of France targeting Johnny Sexton?):

    "I don't know about France, you'd have to go and ask the French coach. Go and ask the French coach mate.

    Q: Do you target Johnny Sexton?

    "Well we target players all the time, it's part of rugby isn't it? It's not?

    Q: Is it legitimate to target a fly half specifically?

    "I didn't know that the had a any special requirements. Is there some sort of special law, is there? Let me know. Well there is fifteen players out there, what are we supposed to not run at one player. Hang on, hang on he's got a red dot on his head, we don't run at him."

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Eddie Jones, England head coach

    "Can I just get back to that Sexton question. You know I think that's really silly question, you know rugby is a game with fifteen players on the field. When we are attacking we are attacking defenders, we are looking for weak defenders, why would we run at the strongest defender. If Martin (Bayfield, ex England rugby player and current journalist) is there and sorry what is your name? Nick. And Nick is there you're not going to Martin are you? (laughter)

    Martin Bayfield: "You clearly never saw me play!"

    Eddie Jones: "Well maybe, maybe! (laughter) We are going to run at Nick (Mullins, journalist) or this bloke here, maybe we'll run at this bloke here. We're not going to run at their strongest defenders, we always run at their weak defenders. Now I'm not saying that Sexton is a weak defender, maybe France did, but we're going to be targeting players in the Ireland side because we want to win and you win a game of rugby by attacking their weak points and to say that's unfair is ridiculous and you shouldn't be asking those questions."

Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.