PATCHING OVER WOOD STAIN

Tom Wood earns shock England lifeline – 10 months after coach Eddie Jones wrote him off as ‘distinctly average’

Northampton flanker back after 5 players are ruled out - but still recalls the 'blunt' assessment of the Red Rose coach

TOM WOOD has been given a shock England lifeline — ten months after being written off as “distinctly average“ by coach Eddie Jones.

It is a remarkable turnaround for the 42-cap flanker,  but it still took FIVE players to be ruled out injured before Jones offered Wood  a way back for the autumn Tests.

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Tom Wood is tipped to join Chris Robshaw and Co with England after being in the international wilderness for many months

After becoming a casualty last January of Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup flop, Wood, 29, said: “Eddie was pretty blunt. He said that what he had seen from me hadn’t been good enough.

“He said it had been distinctly average — if I remember the exact phrase —  and  what he was looking for from his No 6 was  world-class work-rate. And he didn’t see it in me.”

But after naming his 33-man squad for next month’s autumn internationals Jones denied ever using those exact words.

He said: “That isn’t something I’d say. He has obviously got a vivid memory!

“I might have said he had no standout parts of his game. The standout part of his game now is his work-rate. He has an incredible work-rate and he brings that to the table. I think he has gone back and looked at his game.

PA:Press Association Archive
Tom Wood aims to complete a remarkable turnaround following a withering assessment from Eddie Jones

“Maybe he was comfortable, maybe he felt there was a sense of entitlement about him being in the England side.

“What I like about him is  he has gone back and looked at himself and found ways to improve.

“He might be like Samson, he gets stronger with long hair and a beard! He’s now got a bit more dynamism to his ball-carrying which,  previously, he didn’t have.”

Another player who has gone from zero to hero in Jones’ eyes is Wood’s Northampton  team-mate Teimana Harrison —  who will be given another chance when England  train in Portugal next week.

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Northampton captain Tom Wood has worked his way back to Red Rose contention

He was hooked after just 31 minutes of England’s final Test in their series win over Australia this summer.

But  the New Zealand-born back-row, 24, is now the front-runner to fill James Haskell’s vacant No 7 shirt.

Jones added: “In a Saints side that didn’t do so well last week that was the best performance I’ve seen from a No 7 in a Premiership team. Teimana’s  elevated himself.”

Ex-Wallabies boss Jones has a Grand Slam and a series win in Australia under his belt.

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Tom Wood tangles with Australia star David Pocock during the dismal World Cup group defeat last year

But he  is wary  the honeymoon  will be over if his side suffer a heavy defeat at HQ against South Africa on November 12.

He said: “If we lose  against South Africa then I’ll probably be in the paper next day with a red nose on!”

Jones has named  four players who have never featured in an England  squad before — Nathan Hughes, Charlie Ewels, Alex Lozowski and Mike Haley.

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