Survival mode

Eddie Jones sends England rugby stars to RAF training camp… in bid to avoid more dwarf-tossing antics at Japan World Cup

EDDIE JONES believes a dose of military training will help his England stars behave in Japan.

Martin Johnson’s 2011 World Cup bid was derailed by stories of boozy late-night antics at a dwarf-tossing contest in New Zealand.

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Jones wants to learn from the mistakes of 2011Credit: Reuters
The squad took on a number of tasks under the RAF's watchful eyeCredit: © UK MOD Crown 2019. This image may be used for current news purposes only. It may not be

Players were forced to apologise for inappropriate comments to a female hotel worker and Manu Tuilagi jumped off a ferry into Auckland Harbour.

Just being noisy can bring trouble in Japan — which is why Jones handed over his World Cup squad to the RAF for a night of survival training.

The Aussie boss, who spent years coaching in Japan, said: “In certain situations, even being normally loud can get you into trouble in Japan.

“So we just need to be conscious of that. It’s just common sense.

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“The reports we got back from the RAF were they were impressed by the players’ attitude.”

Leicester trio Tuilagi, Ben Youngs and Dan Cole are the only survivors from 2011 in the current 38-man squad.

We’re not going to be perfect and I want the boys to enjoy Japan.

Eddie Jones

England face Wales in a warm-up match on August 11 before Jones names his final squad of 31 the following day.

They then play Wales again, Ireland and Italy before the Pool C opener against Tonga in Sapporo on September 22.

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Jones added: “We’re not going to be perfect and I want the boys to enjoy Japan.

“We’re reasonably well-behaved but there are times when people step out of line a bit and we’ve got to pull them back on course.

They spent a day in Cornwall on the survival experienceCredit: © UK MOD Crown 2019. This image may be used for current news purposes only. It may not be
Players headed to RAF St Mawgan for the workoutCredit: © UK MOD Crown 2019. This image may be used for current news purposes only. It may not be
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“Boys will be boys but they have to be conscious of the social behaviour that is allowed.

“We’ll have a couple of lessons about what’s important, what’s not.

“Make sure you’ve got socks with no holes — you’ve always got to take off your shoes! And take toilet paper to the train station . . . all those sort of important things.”

Mischievous Jones also joked that he would station his injury back-up players in the dictatorship of NORTH KOREA.

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As his 38-man squad met up today in London, he added: "Donald Trump has cleared the way for us to have a training camp there.

"Jonny May got a personal invitation to go there so we are just looking at venues now.

"If we need players quick then they can just hop on a missile."

England boss Eddie Jones enjoys an array of Japanese food in Visit Japan ad ahead of 2019 Rugby World Cup
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