Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones had a tough debut at the helm of Saracens today, losing his opening English Premiership fixture 24-21 at home to Harlequins.
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Harlequins’ David Strettle took just 53 seconds to remind England boss Martin Johnson of his try-scoring prowess.
Strettle was dropped from the senior England squad after a difficult summer tour to New Zealand, but he took less than a minute to make his mark on the new season.
Debutant fly-half Nick Evans kicked 11 points and Strettle’s fellow winger Ugo Monye sauntered over for a second-half try as Quins held off a determined effort from Saracens.
Adam Powell and Neil de Kock ensured Saracens remained in touch but their refusal to attempt a late drop goal eventually cost Jones’ men in a tight Twickenham clash.
Strettle was warned as to his future conduct by the Rugby Football Union after being the subject of a kiss-and-tell story in a red-top Sunday newspaper during England’s ill-fated tour to New Zealand.
Defending champions Wasps also started their campaign with a defeat, losing 26-14 to London Irish at Twickenham, though Ian McGeechan’s team are known to be slow starters.
The champions’ frailties at the line-out were exposed by Chris Hala’ufia and Richard Thorpe, who crossed for Irish after capitalising on errors at the set-piece.
McGeechan felt poor refereeing cost Wasps a bonus point as they began life without Lawrence Dallaglio.
Final-quarter tries from Tom Rees and Eoin Reddan spared their blushes on the scoreboard after Irish had amassed an unassailable lead.
But director of rugby McGeechan was dismayed by the decision not to award a late penalty try for Peter Hewat’s tug on Joe Worsley which denied Wasps any tangible reward for their revival.
“In the end we could have scored three tries. The touch judge had put his flag down,” he said.
“When your attacker is pulled back by the last defender, it’s a pretty strong argument for a penalty try.
“I don’t know who made the decision, whether it was the touch judge or referee, but the advice was wrong. We came back well, scoring two good tries and if we had got one there we would have had the bonus point.
“Irish were hanging on at the end but when you have built up that sort of lead it doesn’t really matter. A bonus point would have been fair reward for our endeavour in the second half.”
Benjamin
Guest
Stillmissit, I am certainly no fan of Jones - I think he's quite incompetent actually, but on this occasion he was very humble in defeat. Early days yet though.
stillmissit
Guest
Jones will have the evil eye working the players over and checking the game stats to find out who was slacking. The ref will be blamed as will the forces of naysayers who don't understand him and his complex analysis and inner sanctum of players who are slowly rotting under his control. Glad to see he is on the other side of the world.
Colin N
Guest
To be honest Spiro, I've heard very few people regarding Cipriani as world class yet. He certainly has the potential and was performing at a high standard consistantly for Wasps before his unfortunate injury, but the word world class has hardly been mentioned by the side of his name in the British media. If there has can you please back up your statements with evidence and give me a link or something. See that's the problem in the Southern Hemisphere, it's so blinkered. I personally enjoy watching SH rugby and I watch quite a bit of it, but I'm guessing you don't watch much Northern Hemisphere since you seem to know very little about it.
Benjamin
Guest
Spiro, your continued attacks on Stephen Jones are reminiscent of playground tittle tattle. I don't see him mentioning you in his articles. Btw, I imagine that you didn't watch the game so it is worth informing you that it was actually Danny Care who led Harlequins to victory. Nick Evans kicked the points and had a fine game but Care dictated the pace and direction of the game. Regarding national selection Evans would make the starting xv of most international teams in the world. Not exactly a profound thought, seems more like a typical Spiro dig at English rugby. Incidentally, have you seen much of Cipriani?
Spiro Zavos
Expert
Eddie Jones, rugby's 'Fast Eddie', has been at his loquacious best since he's been in England. The usual suspects have loved his attacks on SH rugby and the ELVs and any other controversy that supports the RFU views on rugby matters. My theory is, and its only a theory, that he is angling for the coachiing job of England (in some capactiy) in due course. If only his teams played as well as his talk. The other interesting aspect to me of all of this is that it was a SH back, Nick Evans, who led Harlequins to their victory. Question: If players could switch from one national team to another, how long would it have taken for Evans to be rushed into England's Test squad? And how long before Daniel Cipriana (the best five-eights in the world, according to the usual suspect who described Daniel Carter as 'servicable') would have been relegated to fullback or the benches? Hypothetical, I know. But intriquing thoughts.