“Send my best wishes to Warren, I hope he enjoys the third-fourth place match”
Monday 28 October 2019 11:48, UK
Eddie Jones has hit back at Wales boss Warren Gatland over comments he made ahead of the World Cup final between England and South Africa.
Gatland questioned whether England might have played their final a game early by flattening New Zealand after their own quest to be crowned champions was ended by the Springboks in Sunday's other semi-final.
"We have seen in previous World Cups that teams sometimes play their final in semi-finals and don't always turn up for a final," Gatland, whose side face the All Blacks in the bronze game, said.
Ahead of Saturday's final at the International Stadium Yokohama, England coach Jones replied: "Send my best wishes to Warren, I hope he enjoys the third-fourth place match!"
Jones' men welcome Ben Spencer into the squad for Saturday's final. Spencer landed in Japan on Monday morning and is in line to make his debut after replacing the injured Willi Heinz.
"Ben has been in and around the squad consistently for the last couple of years so he knows the game, he knows the players," Jones said. "He is a fit guy and just fits in quite readily.
"We always said to those guys outside the 31 that they need to be ready, and he is ready to go. We needed to make the decision fairly quickly so we decided to call on Ben.
"It is just a great opportunity ahead of him. He has come into the squad and has got to learn a few new things. Willi will help him and Benny will help him with that.
"The task ahead of him is no different to any other player. He has just got to learn a little bit more in the early part of the week and get himself physically and mentally ready."
Jones also gave an injury update on Jonny May and Owen Farrell, who both picked up knocks in the win over New Zealand.
"We had a walk through this morning (Monday) and we had to tell Jonny to slow down a bit," Jones added.
"He's probably in better condition than he was last week at this stage. Immeasurably better.
"Owen's a bit sore but he'll be fine. We've got a few others carrying bumps and bruises because it was a tough old game."
Meanwhile, England will learn on Monday if they are to be fined by World Rugby for encroaching beyond the halfway line when confronting the Haka with a V shape formation against the All Blacks.
However, Jones was keen to focus on the positives.
"It's the job of a team to make the country happy and we've made the country happy," he said. "Not as happy as they can be because there is still a game to go as we've said.
"The crowds here generally in the World Cup have been fantastic and I thought our supporters on Saturday night were massively instrumental in helping us get home.
"Their singing and their general support of the team has been outstanding. We urge them to keep doing that."
