Plenty of parades for victorious Boks

The Rugby World Cup-winning South African team is planning a victory parade, while the bronze medal winning All Blacks will return home a little more quietly this morning.

South Africa players will return in several groups this week, starting today, and will host a parade on Thursday.

Coach Rassie Erasmus, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and vice-captain Handre Pollard are among the first batch of the Springbok squad members who are due to arrive today.

Parades will take place in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Soweto.

Meanwhile, Eddie Jones has vowed to remain as England head coach with the Rugby Football Union planning to open talks over extending his contract until the end of the 2023 tournament.

Jones’s deal expires in August 2021 and the Australian is adamant he will not walk away.

The 59-year-old repeatedly refused to commit himself beyond the end of that deal when asked on Saturday night, but RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney yesterday gave Jones a resounding vote of confidence when he declared opening talks about a new deal was one of his "first priorities".

Jones would not be drawn on that, but was adamant he would still be in charge when England open their Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on Feb 2.

When asked whether he would like to take the team to the next World Cup he said the current England side was ‘‘finished now’’, adding: ‘‘We’ll make a new team for the Six Nations and that new team will be the basis of going to the next World Cup.

‘‘And I’ll have them for the first two years. And you’re so lucky, because you’ve got me for another two years, guys. How good is that?’’

When pressed again on why he would only commit to two years, he said: ‘‘Because I’ve only signed for two years. That’s the contract. It’s not my decision.

‘‘I think there is a union that gives out contracts and they decide how long the contracts are, not the coach.’’

Just hours after that statement the union gave its answer, with Sweeney declaring he would attempt to convince Jones – who is reportedly being targeted by Australia to replace Michael Cheika – to extend his deal until after the World Cup in France.