South Africa tour
Jones warns Boks against expansive approach
PA Sport
November 2, 2008
Jake White and Eddie Jones of South Africa during the IRB 2007 Rugby World Cup final match between South Africa and England held at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France on October 20, 2007.
Jones worked as an assistant to former Springboks coach Jake White during last year's Rugby World Cup © Getty Images
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Former South Africa technical advisor Eddie Jones believes the world champions "would be stupid" to play an expansive game on their current Northern Hemisphere tour.

Jones, writing in Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Sondag, said South Africa would lose to Wales if they take an overly aggressive approach on Saturday at the Millennium stadium. "South Africa would be stupid to just throw the ball around in the British conditions. Especially against Wales. They could find things very difficult if they decide only to attack with the ball in hand.

"The Welsh enjoy living off other teams' mistakes and they will kill the Boks if the ball starts getting too loose."

Jones, who is director of rugby at Saracens, said a forward-based game plan would be better for the Boks. "The forwards are the Boks' strength so they need to play to that strength. Short attacks around the fringes would work well against the Welsh and then later the attacking backs can be brought into the game."

The former Australia coach said that he felt moving the untried Ruan Pienaar into the fly-half position was an inspired decision. "I believe he has the potential to become a great fly-half," Jones said. "He has wonderful hands and a sense of how the game is flowing. When Stephen Larkham moved to fly-half it took him 12 to 24 months to get used to the position and everything it entails.

"If Ruan is handled well over the next few months, he can have a bright future ahead of him."

Jones also believes captain John Smit, an experienced hooker who could feature at tighthead during the tour, may be exposed in his new position. "To move at his age from one position to another needs a lot of guts," he said. "I believe he will struggle against some of the more established props in the game."

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