Money was a factor in Hughes England switch

Jones was also pleased with Elliot Daly’s first start for England.

Eddie Jones insists he would have failed in his choice of leaders if England implemented the type of player curfew now being considered by the Football Association.

“He did really well, he’s got the ability to make outside breaks, that left-foot kick and it gives you another attacking weapon”, said Jones.

Saracens full-back Alex Goode says he will not try to “pull rabbits out of a hat” as he prepares to return to the England starting XV.

World Rugby has confirmed that England have not broken any regulations in the postponement, although from January a recently-ratified rule stating team announcements must be undertaken 48 hours before kick takes effect.

“My wife says to me ‘you always used to worry about the rain when you coached other teams and now you don’t'”.

The RFU has come under fire for rejecting the Fiji Rugby Union’s request for a $250,000 match payment this weekend, instead agreeing to pay half that amount despite a predicted $16 million revenue windfall from the fixture.

Good luck to anyone trying to establish what “upper body soreness” means in relation to Vunipola but, given his massive collision with South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth last Saturday, a sore upper head can not be entirely ruled out. He will also likely not be tested by too many high balls which will allow him to gain his confidence during the game and get more involved as the game progresses. You’re going to go to hotels, sometimes in small cities that aren’t going to be great.

“They want to have a kava party. They’ll get better and better the more experience they’ll get”.

“It will be very special to make this first start against Fiji, but we’ve got a lot of class back-rowers in the squad, waiting for the opportunity”.

“There are a few injury concerns which we’re sorting through at the moment”, said Jones at England’s training base in Bagshot, southwest of London, on Thursday. “Thinking ahead, the World Cup in Japan is going to be really hard”.

Meanwhile, England captain Dylan Hartley, a Northampton team-mate of Wood, echoed Jones’s concerns about being drawn into an open game, as happened at times during a 35-11 win over Fiji at Twickenham in the opening match of last year’s World Cup.

“I had a note from them saying, ‘We are delighted”. They want to do something that hasn’t been done for a long time in England. “Now we’ve got three in one”.