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Johns called in to assist England rugby

Rugby league legend Andrew Johns has worked with the England rugby union side in Sydney.

Assistant coach Andrew Johns
Rugby league legend Andrew Johns has worked with the England rugby union side in Sydney. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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England rugby coach Eddie Jones has pulled an Australian rabbit out of his hat by bringing in rugby league legend Andrew Johns to tutor his young playmakers.

Johns, widely considered league's greatest halfback, worked with the England squad in Sydney on Monday afternoon.

He spent time with their promising five-eighths Owen Farrell and George Ford.

Jones said he had always admired Johns' skills and he had a lot of knowledge he could pass on to others.

He said Johns had focused on the details of England's attack.

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"We've been chatting for a while about the possibility of him coming and doing a little bit of work, so today was the ideal day when we had down time in training," he said.

"We've got two outstanding young No.10s in Owen Farrell and George Ford and we want them to keep learning.

"For those guys to have that lesson this afternoon is invaluable. They will remember it for the rest of their life."

Jones said he wasn't sure if Johns would do more work with England.

Asked about New Zealand coach Steve Hansen's comments that he had bullied Australian counterpart and former clubmate Michael Cheika in the media, Jones insisted he hadn't been trying to win a war of words with Cheika.

"I'm a coach - you guys ask me questions, I give you answers," Jones said.

"Then you guys decide whether it's mind games or whether I'm being a bully or I'm trying to be clever or whether I'm just an idiot."

While England have already clinched the three-match series, Jones said he wanted his team to play their best 80 minutes of the tour in Saturday's final Test in Sydney.

"Attack-wise, we were reasonable in the first Test, defensively, we were poor, set piece, we were good at lineouts, average at the scrum," Jones said.

"Second Test our scrum was good, lineout was average, our defence was outstanding, attack was almost non-existent.

"We'd like to put together our best 80 because we still haven't seen the best of this team."

Outstanding flanker James Haskell (foot) and winger Jack Nowell (concussion) sat out Monday's training session.


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