JONES IN LIMBO OVER CONTRACT EXTENSION
EDDIE JONES has not received an expected offer to extend his contract as England head coach, casting doubt on whether he will be in charge for the next World Cup in 2023. At the end of this year’s tournament, RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney declared that the Union would urgently seek to agree terms with Jones to extend his current deal, which ends in the summer of 2021. However, Sweeney was cagey on the subject yesterday amid talk that a faction within the board support the appointment of a director of rugby to whom Jones would report. It is the sort of oversight role that Sir Clive Woodward has been repeatedly linked with in the past but the World Cup-winning coach has not been approached about a potential return to Twickenham. Jones is thought to be strongly opposed to the concept of a director of rugby. Having conducted a review into the campaign in Japan, which culminated in defeat against South Africa in the World Cup final, Sweeney appears content to defer major decisions about Jones’ longer-term future. Describing the feedback from England players as ‘overwhelmingly positive’ and ‘supportive’ of the Australian and his regime, he said: ‘At the moment, he’s contracted through to August 2021 and fully committed to seeing out the contract — and we’ll take it from there. ‘He and I are chatting about it. It has to be right for both sides. There’s no looming deadline.’ Sweeney confirmed that Steve Borthwick is expected to continue as England forwards coach until the end of the Six Nations, before joining Leicester. Meanwhile, former Wales attack coach Rob Howley has apologised for the gambling offences that have seen him banned for 18 months. A statement read: ‘I am an extremely private man and, unfortunately, it was this that kept me silent as I battled my demons following my sister’s tragic death.’