England rugby coach Eddie Jones ‘happy’ to be shadowed by successor at 2023 World Cup
England rugby coach Eddie Jones insists he has no problem showing his successor the ropes at the next World Cup.
The Rugby Football Union is believed to want the next coach to shadow Jones for a handover period before his contract ends after next year’s tournament.
Six Nations champions France implemented a similar process when current coach Fabien Galthie took over from Jacques Brunel.
“If it’s going to help English rugby post-2023, not a problem at all,” Jones told the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
“I have said all along I am happy to work with the RFU in terms of who is going to take over from me. If that happens, then we will get on with it.”
Galthie worked alongside Brunel for the final six months of his tenure before succeeding him after the 2019 World Cup.
They aren’t the only leading nation to have benefited from the new man learning from his predecessor.
New Zealand coach Ian Foster and South Africa’s Jacques Nienaber both got the top job after being promoted from within the national coaching set-up.
The RFU want an Englishman to succeed Jones, with Leicester Tigers boss and former England captain Steve Borthwick among the favourites.
Former Leicester coach Richard Cockerill, now England forwards specialist, and current Exeter boss Rob Baxter are also candidates.
Australian Jones, 62, is due to leave his post after leading England at a second World Cup, having taken over in the wake of the disappointing home 2015 tournament.
He is aiming to go one better than 2019, when England reached the final but lost to South Africa, in France next year