Eddie Jones gives Emma Raducanu warning to Marcus Smith
England head coach Eddie Jones has warned fly-half Marcus Smith to avoid the “distractions” he feels young tennis star Emma Raducanu has had to deal with.
Smith came off the bench to inspire a late flurry of tries in their 69-3 triumph over Tonga on Saturday as Twickenham saw the Harlequins man show his class.
In only his third international appearance, Smith was outstanding as he pushes for more minutes against Australia in this week’s Autumn Nations Series clash.
But Jones is mindful that the 22-year-old’s head might be turned by the trappings of success after noting how British tennis star Raducanu, 18, has accumulated endorsements but not more silverware since being crowned US Open champion in September.
Distractions
“The big thing for good young players is distractions,” Jones said. “The distractions could be the exposure they get in the media, the praise they get, the criticism they get. There can be groups of agents who see this guy as the next big thing.
“There’s a reason why the young girl who won the US Open hasn’t done so well afterwards.
“What have you seen her on – the front page of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar or whatever it is, wearing Christian Dior clothes. All that is a distraction around her. It might not be to that degree with Marcus, but potentially it could be.
“So the guidance we can give him when he’s with us, the guidance that he gets from Harlequins and the guidance he gets from his parents – who I know, fortunately, are very good people – will be important so he can keep his feet on the ground and keep impressing as a rugby player.
“Marcus is grounded, but they all start out grounded. No-one starts with their feet off the ground or they don’t get in the team and they don’t win a US Open.
“They all start grounded, but there are a flood of distractions which come in, which can make them ungrounded.”
While Smith was showing against Tonga why Warren Gatland views him as a future “superstar of the game”, a more seasoned campaigner was busy relaunching a career that had stalled.
Jamie George was not even considered to be among England’s top three hookers when he was overlooked for the autumn squad, paying the price for a period of indifferent form including on the British and Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa.
But when Luke Cowan-Dickie incurred an ankle injury, George’s experience propelled him back into the front-row and he celebrated his 60th cap with two tries to complete a remarkable turnaround just three weeks after being told he was out.
“It did take me by surprise. I actually missed Eddie’s call, which was awkward. Then I had four missed calls. The writing was on the wall at that point,” George said.
“It was tough. I found it really challenging. He said to me I have not been up to speed for up to a year, which gave me an opportunity to go back and reflect on that. I had a lot going on in my mind.
“I want to try and be confrontational, I want to try and be physical, I want to get my hands on the ball and have an influence on the game – that’s always been my aim.
“Maybe I didn’t do that last year to the best of my ability but at the same time I haven’t changed anything. All I’ve done is go back to realising what I’m good at and trying to put that forward onto the field.”
Gregor Townsend savours ’emotional’ Scotland victory
Scotland boss Gregor Townsend admitted that their victory over Australia on Sunday was extra special after they overcame the southern hemisphere outfit at a packed Murrayfield.
The Scots secured a 15-13 triumph over a Wallabies side that had been on a five-match winning run.
It was their third success in a row against the Aussies but this one was even better, according to the head coach, with them playing in front of a full house for the first time since March 2020.
Townsend conceded it meant a huge amount to he and his coaching staff to see his team deliver such a rousing victory in front of their jubilant supporters after so long without such a box-office occasion due to the impact of the pandemic.
