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Cape Town - England boss Eddie Jones expects a frosty reception to continue during his side's tour of Australia after he was singled out for special treatment upon his arrival in Brisbane on Thursday.
Jones and his England team touched down in Brisbane early on Thursday morning, ahead of the June 11 Test opener, greeted by a handful of hardy English fans and the former Wallabies and Japan coach's bags were inspected extra carefully on his way into Brisbane airport.
When asked how he expected to be treated by Aussie fans, Jones pointed to his customs experience.
“I just went through immigration and I got shunted through the area where everything got checked so that’s what I'm expecting,” he told the Australian Rugby Union's official website.
England has never won a Test in Brisbane but Jones said a first-up victory would be the ultimate barometer for the series, their first three-match tour of Australia.
“The first Test sets the tone for the rest of the series,” he said.
“We see that as an opportunity to put down the marker in the first Test.
“Suncorp’s been a favourite ground for Australia but it has lost a couple of games here recently so that provides an opportunity for us.”
Jones didn’t miss throwing out a few barbs to his counterpart, Michael Cheika, as well as the assembled media.
“He’s been very quiet," he added.
"It’s a new Cheika we’re facing at the moment. I’m sure the old one will come out."
Though,he did agree with Cheika that no amount of mud slinging would determine the outcome of the Tests.
“He’s 100 percent right, it’s the two teams on the field,” said Jones.
“Australia (is) second in the world, (they have) the best coach in the world, they’re playing in their own backyard.
“They’re going to be strong favourites for the tour. Our record in Australia is three Tests since Captain Cook arrived, so it’s not a great record is it?”
He was quick to throw some shade on the media as well, suggesting there would be a “coordinated” effort to help the Wallabies win - and ostensibly as an aside.
“I think the one thing I understand is that Australians are going to be very physical, they’re going to be very aggressive and everything that’s done around the game is going to be coordinated, all coordinated to help Australia win,” he said.
“So, we’ve got to be good enough to control what we can control, not worry about the things we can’t control and be prepared to play very physical aggressive rugby.
“You guys should know, you’re all part of it. It’s well done here, very well done here.”
