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AUDIO: England to 'remove' ref from game

AUDIO: England to 'remove' ref from game

England plans to take controversial referee Romain Poite ‘out of the equation’ when they face South Africa in the second Test of a three-match series.

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Scrum coach Neal Hatley, speaking ahead of the Test in Bloemfontein on Saturday, said they know “what to expect” from the French official – who is often the centre of controversy.

Poite is known for making strange decisions and often causes powerful reactions with decisions that seldom has any basis in the law.

“We have had Romain before and we know what to expect from him,” Hatley, when asked about the controversy that often accompanies games involving Poite.

“What we have to do is remove him from the equation,” the England scrum coach said.

“He is a good ref and refereed a lot in the Northern Hemisphere.

“He refereed us in the Six Nations and other matches.

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“For us, the most important thing is how we adapt.

“Some penalties are avoidable, some are unavoidable. We have to cut out the unavoidable ones.”

* Article c ontinues below video …

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* Meanwhile the under-pressure England team received a big boost Wednesday, when lock Joe Launchbury was declared fit for a must-win second Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein this weekend.

The forward had been considered a doubt because of a calf injury that ruled him out of the first Test in Johannesburg last weekend, which England lost 42-39 after leading by 21 points.

England has to win the remaining two Tests, in Bloemfontein Saturday and in Cape Town seven days later, to achieve a first series success in the republic.

Launchbury is expected to be named as the second row partner of Maro Itoje, when coach Eddie Jones reveals his starting line-up Thursday.

Nick Isiekwe replaced Launchbury in Johannesburg only be suffer the embarrassment of being substituted before half-time – an unusual step in a Test unless a player is injured.

Scrum coach Neal Hatley was pessimistic about Launchbury being available for Bloemfontein when he spoke to reporters Tuesday in Durban, the England base throughout the series.

But forwards coach Steve Borthwick said Wednesday that the lock had recovered, was fully involved in training and available for selection.

Australia-born Jones is expected to make several changes to the first Test run-on team as he seeks to snap a run of five consecutive losses.

Having won 22 of his first 23 Tests, Jones has overseen losses to Scotland, France and Ireland in the Six Nations Championship, the Barbarians and South Africa.

England beat South Africa 27-22 when they first met in Bloemfontein 18 years ago, but were thrashed 58-10 in the only other Test there between the countries.

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