First Test crucial to series outcome - Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones believes winning the first Test is crucial to England's hopes of a series vicory over Australia
Eddie Jones believes winning the first Test is crucial to England's hopes of a series vicory over Australia
©Press Association

England coach Eddie Jones believes whichever team wins the first Test in Brisbane will have a massive advantage in the upcoming three-game series against the Wallabies which begins on 11th June.

In the 44 matches previously between the two teams, England have managed to win 18 games while in Australia their success percentage is just 17.64 after winning just three out of the 17 Tests against the Wallabies.

Jones stressed on the importance of starting the series well and wants England to win the first Test which he believes holds the fortune for the rest of the series.

"We have to win the first one - that's what the series is about, the first Test," Jones said.

"There are two Tests to go after that, but the first is going to set up one side to win the series and you want to be the side that wins the series.

"We want to win the first Test and if we do that we put ourselves in positions to do all sorts of things and that's our target.

"We don't have any excuses. We've come here to put our best foot forward and if we're good enough we're going to win. If it's not good enough we'll go back home and we'll learn."

The 56-year-old also urged his team to play with an aggressive mindset which he believes holds the key when playing against an opponent like Australia. Jones also revealed that the team is eager to create history by registering their maiden Test series victory in the country.

"The players realise they have got to do something different. To create history - and that's what we are trying to do - we have to do something different," Jones said.

"Christopher Columbus didn't discover America by swimming in his own back yard. He had to get in a boat and leave and not see anything. That's exactly what we have to do.

"We are in a position where we have to do something no other side has done and to do that we have to do things differently."

Two out of the three victories for England against Wallabies down under came when Jones was the coach of the Australian team in 2003 after Martin Johnson became the first player to lead a northern hemisphere side to the world title.

The former Wallabies coach believes both the teams want to compete hard on the field when they meet each other.

"When you're coaching Australia and playing England, England is the mother country, Jones said.

"That's particularly the view of my generation, who were brought up as part of the commonwealth.

"England were always seen as the big brother and you wanted to beat them. When you play Test rugby you want to beat everyone."

In the last one-year under the head coach Michael Cheika, Australia have transformed into a world beating side after winning 10 out of their 12 games and also went on to reach the final of the 2015 World Cup which saw them claim the second spot in World Rugby Rankings.

Jones, who coached Australia for four years between 2001 and 2005, is aware of the threat Wallabies players pose and is confident of overcoming them with the right strategy in place.

"All I want to do is produce a side that wins. Australia are the second best team in the world and they have that ability to sniff out a weakness in your defence," Jones said.

"Bernard Foley did it twice to England during the World Cup and Israel Folau is one of the most gifted runners in the world.

"David Pocock and Michael Hooper are offensively the best back rows in the game and are able to turn your ball over and create offensive opportunities.

"Pocock in particular is very skilled at the breakdown and is probably one of the best in the world at that.

"If we carry well and clean out well then we might put him out of the game and that's what we're intending to do."