EDDIE DEAL HAS LIONS DOOR OPEN
EDDIE JONES has been handed a two-year contract extension and told he has England’s blessing to coach the 2021 Lions.
But it has also been made clear his new deal will be ripped up if England repeat their 2015 World Cup flop in Japan next year.
“This is not a plan for failure, it’s a plan for success,” Rugby Football Union boss Steve Brown insisted after revealing he had secured the Australian’s services through to August 2021. As part of the new arrangement the RFU plan to appoint a new head coach by the end of the 2019/20 season to work with Jones for 12 months before taking the reins. But Brown admitted a World Cup failure next year to compare with England’s 2015 pool exit could change all that.
“That’s the nature of sport,” Jones conceded. “One day you’re a good coach, the next day you’re not.
“Look at football. David Moyes (inset) was a great coach at Everton, had three bad years, goes to West Ham and is a good coach again.”
Brown’s thoughts have turned to the potential for Jones being asked to lead the Lions trip to South Africa.
Jones was not made available to the 2017 Lions but Brown said: “This contract does not prohibit Eddie.”