Jamie George on England's Japan & New Zealand tour & Owen Farrell's legacy

Rugby Union now where England are stepping up preparations ahead of their summer tour to Japan and New Zealand with a 4-day training camp at Penny Hill Park Steve bwick has named a 33 player training Squad ahead of the tour which begins later this month and for more on it now we can cross to our repor at James Cole morning yes the Premiership season is still ongoing the final is this Saturday at twickum but those England players not involved in that final are here preparing for the summer tour England Captain Jamie George among them Jamie I'd imagine you had the World Cup in the Autumn a long season with sarens now you're in Camp Steve bwick is going to be taking it easy on you guys yeah uh I wouldn't quite say it's been taking it easiest but we've hit the ground running let's put it that way um yeah it's been a tough tough few days obviously the guys were in last week as well and uh we heard some Whispers that it was some pretty tough work going on so um they certainly weren't lying as part of that to prepare for the heat of Japan which is Then followed by the winter in New Zealand yeah absolutely look we know how hot it's going to be over there in Japan uh very hot very humid we've experienced it before um so they've got some heaters going on in the indoor Center and uh yeah it's tough work going on a few tough W bike sessions for the forwards but finally enough The Backs aren't doing too much do you enjoy that have you found peace with that ruing training because you'd have to go through it again in preseason how do you approach it oh look I think it's it's great I think it sets the tone nicely obviously you end of season tours generally sometimes think people can sort of take your foot off the gas a little bit we really want to go out there and get three wins out of three so um in order to do that we know we've got to work really really hard and we're a team that Bas ourselves around our how hard we work and how tough we've got to be so I think that sets some good foundations for that Japan June the 22nd a certain Eddie Jones is now in charge of them uh do you think some of the players in the squad might have a point to prove having been overlooked by Eddie and now coming up against him I look I think everyone's got their own individual motivations I think ultimately though English rugby anyone that's been involved in English rugby has a huge amount of respect for Eddie and everything that he achieved with us and you know he's got some good ideas I'm sure about how to beat us um but you know at the same time you know we've got a good idea around how Japan want to play and um you know we're going over there and really excited about taking English rugby over to Japan and how do you want to play because we saw a glimpse didn't we with this young side against Ireland and then France at the end of the six nations of an expansive game plan is that the way forward now for this team absolutely we want to go out there and express ourselves I think we want to play to our strengths I think you know English rugby has to be based around a strong defense with Felix Jones coming in I think we saw massive improvements in that in the throughout the Six Nations but at the same time when we get the opportunity with the ball we got to use it we've got exciting young backs we got a few elderly people up front uh to shore down the ship but you know we've got some really exciting players and you know we'd be stup not to try and utilize that and um that's definitely the plan and New Zealand England haven't won in New Zealand since 2003 an incredible stat really when you think about it how important is it to break that record and what sort of statement would it be if you could do that yeah a massive one I think you look at Ireland going over there was it last year or the year before um and it really sort of set the foundations for them going forward to become the number one team in the world and you look at the the blueprint of how they did it you know they went over there and took New Zealand on and that record isn't great since 2003 obviously we've played them a few times at World Cups and and beaten them at twickingham and that kind of thing so you know we want to go over there and win we're very clear about how we want to do that but we also know how big a challenge it's going to be because they're the old blacks at home and having been over there on a tour myself we know how passionate the Kiwi fans are also you finished your Premiership season last Friday it's a bit of an end of an ear isn't it for Saron a few big names moving on the vapol brothers Owen Farrell of course how big a rebuilding project you think you got to do for Club yeah look I think whenever you lose the caliber of of the vapas Owen far Alex lington those guys you know they're always going to leave a big hole but at the same time we've got some good consistency I think our recruitment's been really really good and um really excited about where sarens can go next season and Owen Farrell obviously a huge loss for sarason's what sort of Legacy will he leave some people feel maybe he hasn't had the credit he deserved but his record is incredible isn't it yeah and look I think you know in my eyes I know I've known him for a very long time he's obviously a very close friend of mine so I might be biased but you I think he should go down and I think he will go down as certainly one of the greatest sarson's players ever if not the greatest English player ever um the things that he achieved the way that he's LED both teams um you know I don't think that SAR or England will have achieved what they have achieved over the last 10 years without own farell and who feels his boots at number 10 is Up For Debate but there's a young guy called Finn Smith taking on bath at twicken on Saturday in that Premiership final you're going to be watching that with your England hat on a few guys who could be joining up with you on Monday aren't they yeah yeah absolutely I'm very excited for those guys obviously you know I've been lucky enough to be there myself and know how big an occasion it is and um not many of them have been there and done it and uh it's going to be a great see how those guys how good how those guys go and hopefully we come through unscathed and and we meet up here on Monday you must be really excited by the young talent in that game and what it could mean for England right absolutely you know Northampton and bar this season really have set the set the tone for for how the Premiership has been played the intensity of the game and I think that's you know we're definitely going to see that in terms of how the game's played on on Saturday I think the ball's going to be thrown around a bit but I also think it's going to be very very physical so um some of those young guys in that team that hopefully will be joining up with us here on Monday for this tour I think have been very very impressive this year and um yeah looking forward to seeing them go Jamie thanks for your time really appreciate it enjoy the hot weather training later on I'm sure you will so yeah as Jamie says those Northampton and bath players will join up on Monday Steve bwick will name his squad for the summer tours on Monday they take on Japan on June the 22nd then New Zealand twice in denen and ockland in July exclusively live on Sky Sports thanks very much James [Music]