Eddie Jones: Robshaw can't handle Aussie duo

Eddie Jones thinks Michael Hooper and David Pocock will be too tough for England to handle. Photo / Getty

The breakdown will be a key area of the game on Sunday and Australia can dominate there because England simply don't have the specialist skills to compete with them.

David Pocock is an out-and-out 'fetcher'. At the moment, there is no-one in the world better than him over the ball. Stuart Lancaster doesn't have that sort of fetcher in his team.

Chris Robshaw wears No 7, but he is a six-and-a-half at best. He's not hard over the ball and he's not quick. He's a useful player but he's definitely not an out-and-out openside.

What makes Pocock so effective is that he is very strong and his timing into the breakdown is superb. As soon as he sees daylight around that ball-carrier he is in there and once he's in there you can't get rid of him. That's his great strength. He's a bit like George Smith was - he has that instinct for reading the play.

Michael Hooper is probably more like a Neil Back-type player. He is more of a link player for Australia. He's very good at running and passing. Given the opportunity at the breakdown, he is quite strong over the ball but he plays a bit looser than Pocock. He's also a really offensive tackler. For a little guy he plays well above his weight. He is a bit like a young Schalk Burger - he really puts himself about and has a bit of everything.

The fetcher is an important figure at the moment. Referees are being strict on people staying on their feet at the breakdown so the attacking team can't seal the ball off. Unless they have really good technique in their clear-out, it leaves potential space for that guy who has good turnover skills to get in there.

We've seen it consistently at this World Cup - if you've got a good fetcher it's worth a fair few points to your side. As well as Pocock, Sam Warburton is pretty handy at it for Wales - he made some significant steals in that game against England. And Richie McCaw is unbelievable for the All Blacks!

England definitely miss that presence over the ball. We saw that last Saturday when Wales were able to string long phases of ruck ball together. England haven't got that guy who has a real instinct for the ball, who can see that opportunity. To me, Robshaw is an outstanding club player but at international level he just doesn't have that point of difference. He carries OK, he tackles OK, but he's not outstandingly good in any area. I think that is his limiting factor. He's a good workmanlike player, but he does not have the specialist skills and the instinct as an openside that Pocock has.

Steffon Armitage is pretty hard and handy over the ball and would definitely bring that quality to the England side. I reckon needing a specialist openside at a World Cup should count as an exceptional circumstance, to allow Lancaster to pick him.

Look at what Australia coach Michael Cheika has done. He knew he needed Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell, and guys like Dean Mumm and Kane Douglas, so he went to his Rugby Union and fought his cause to be able to pick guys who are based abroad. Lancaster didn't do that and I think it's going to hurt him.

England have to be smarter at the breakdown, but it goes back to the same problem. If you haven't got a guy who is really skilled at contesting the ball in that area, then you are under pressure all the time, you're trying to get the ball back and you're giving away penalties. Then the referee gets on to you and it just starts the cycle.

Australia will have two opensides in their back row, so they are expected to dominate the ruck contest and I can't see it going any other way with the teams that are going to be selected. Ben Morgan and Tom Wood don't play over the ball, and Robshaw only half does it, so it looks like an uphill battle for England.

-Daily Mail