Rugby World Cup: Eddie Jones keen on England job

Eddie Jones and Clive Woodward. Could they drag England back to glory? Photos / Getty Images

Eddie Jones says Wayne Smith won't be interested in the England coaching job - but he is.

In fact, the former Wallaby mentor, Springbok assistant coach and current Japanese boss told British press he is open to an approach about coaching England and even suggested a tandem appointment with 2003 World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward.

But Jones thinks beleaguered incumbent Stuart Lancaster deserves a fair review first before the (England) RFU faces any decision,

The ex-Australia coach, who has helped Japan's to major upset wins over South Africa and Samoa at the Rugby World Cup, is near the front of a list of names being thrown up to replace Lancaster after England's ignominious exit from the tournament.

Jones just recently took up a role with South African Super Rugby franchise the Western Stormers but admitted he would be attracted to the challenge of sorting out the world's most under-performing and dysfunctional rugby team.

"If England approached me, would I listen to them? Of course I would but whether the RFU part ways with Stuart Lancaster is a big and difficult decision," Jones wrote in a column in the Daily Mail of the prospect of becoming England's first foreign coach. "A proper review is needed to find out why they changed strategy halfway through the tournament.

"A lot of time has been invested in to Lancaster and his squad have enormous potential, so he needs to convince the board he can take those youngsters forward to 2019."

Jones, who coached Australia to the 2003 World Cup final and was an advisor to South Africa when they won the tournament in 2007, criticised the dumping of George Ford for Owen Farrell in the key No. 10 jersey for the second match against Wales.

"[Lancaster] must show ... he will learn from his mistakes and, if he can't do that, I think he should go," Jones said. "There will be a lot of contenders queuing up for his job but it's a case of deciding what they want and then finding that person."

The RFU chief executive, Ian Ritchie, has said there would be no knee-jerk decisions over Lancaster's future. Jones said he thought Dean Richards and Jim Mallinder were the pick of the domestic candidates and that South Africa's 2007 World Cup winning coach Jack White would probably be interested if England went international in their search.

He didn't think Smith, the All Blacks assistant coach, would not be attracted by the post but threw in a curve ball by suggesting Woodward, England's only successful World Cup coach, would create an intriguing dynamic if he joined him in running the team.

"A double act between Clive and myself would be interesting," he said. "It's not the sort of job I'll go out chasing but I'd certainly chat to them if they thought I was the right man for the role."