Eddie Jones was happy to ‘win dirty’ against the Pumas, but the England mentor knows that won’t be enough against a Wallabies team he says are, on form, the best in the world at the moment.
Jones was disappointed with his team’s outing against the Pumas, but satisfied it didn’t cost them a victory in the end.
“I don’t mind winning dirty,” he said.
“Rugby is a game you can play beautifully badly or beautifully well.
“That was a great contest. they had a massive pack and they tried to bludgeon us and couldn’t.
“We stood up to the task with a team that had been put together very quickly and we managed to win.
“I know you guys were disappointed in the way we played, we're disappointed in the way we played.
"Those things happen.
“It's like when you bat...sometimes you can score a beautiful hundred and sometimes you score a terrible 70 but that 70 might save you a Test or win it
“Those sort of innings we played on Saturday are important.”
An ugly 70 isn’t likely to be enough for an improved Wallabies side, that will come to Twickenham on Saturday looking to take their unbeaten streak to eight matches.
England beat Australia four times in a row in 2016 but Jones said he expected Wallabies coach Michael Cheika would have been working on a strategy to turn their record around from the full-time whistle in London last year.
“Well, knowing Cheik he would have been hatching a plan straight away and I think he's done that,” he said.
“He's rebuilt that side twice now which is a fair effort and he's done a great job.”
Jones said Australia’s skills had improved markedly since last year, with the influence of skills coach Mick Byrne showing.
“They got beaten by 50 points in their first Bledisloe Cup and the last one they won it, they’ve really turned it around,” he said.
“There’s some really good coaching. Mick Byrne has definitely made a difference as a skills coach.
“You can see his influence on the team.
“Their selection has been good, their defence is very good, their set piece is strong.
“They’re playing some good rugby and they’re probably the form team in the world at the moment.”
Jones has always been adamant his approach with England is squarely focused on 2019 and that continues this week off the field, with England set to move away from Pennyhill Park in the second half of the week.
“In Japan we might have to change hotels two days before a game,” he said.
“We might have to fly to a hotel that's got bad karaoke in it for 10 days.
“And we are going to have to adjust to it. If you've ever been a room with bad karaoke for 10 days you'll understand.
“It's not a perfect world and Pennyhill Park (England base) is perfect and that's not going to win us the World Cup.”
Australia takes on England on Saturday November 18, kicking off at 3pm local, Sunday 2am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports and SBS.
