Steady as she goes as Eddie gets England contract extension

Eddie Jones has secured a two-year contract extension with England through to the next Rugby World Cup.

Jones’ record with England is 42 wins (76.4 per cent), 11 losses and two draws from 55 tests. He twice guided England to the Six Nations title, including the Grand Slam in his first season in charge in 2016.

Despite losing their opening match in Paris, England remain favourites to claim this year’s crown, with their final away match against Italy among four Six Nations matches postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Kiwis won’t forget the 60-year-old Australian last year masterminding England’s dismantling of the All Blacks in the World Cup semifinal. England did, however, falter in the final against the Springboks the following week in Japan, and Jones says that devastating result leaves unfinished business.

After previously stating the job was a four-year assignment, Jones’ extended eight-year term will entrench his status as England’s longest-serving head coach as he surpasses Sir Clive Woodward, who was at the helm from 1997 to 2004 including the 2003 World Cup success.

Jones last week joined other Rugby Football Union executives in taking pay cuts of 25 per cent or more to offset the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic. He is the highest paid coach in international rugby — thought to be earning £750,000 ($1.5 million) per year.

“The extension is a great honour for me, but in the current environment, it is only right to acknowledge what a difficult time the world is facing,” Jones said from Japan where his wife is visiting family.

“We are all looking forward to a time when we can get back to playing rugby and use the sport as a force for good in bringing people back together.

“I never thought coming here four years ago I would be doing a second four years but the circumstances are right.

“Obviously it is important for the team that we keep improving and my focus will be solely on that.”

Like all scheduled test matches, England’s tour to Japan in July is highly unlikely but Jones has set his sights on the 2023 World Cup.

Jones began this year by saying he wants England to become “the greatest team the sport has seen” and he will eventually get the chance to put that aspiration to the test.

“Having done the four years, I felt the project hasn’t been finished yet,” he said.

RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney revealed a verbal agreement to extend Jones’ contract was agreed after last year’s World Cup.