While English bookmakers have made Eddie Jones the overwhelming favourite to be the next England rugby coach, Western Province Rugby Union president Thelo Wakefield is confident that the new Stormers coach will remain in Cape Town.
Jones started his preparations for next year’s expanded Super Rugby competition on Monday despite being linked with the England job after their World Cup coach Stuart Lancaster vacated the hot seat.
Bookmakers have slashed the odds on former Wallaby and Japan coach Jones succeeding Lancaster after “several significant wagers”. The odds have been cut from 9-1 with some outlets down to 1-3.
The England coaching job is one of the most sought-after jobs in rugby, as the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has a proverbial bottomless pit of resources to help their coach to succeed.
It is believed that the salary attached to the England job is about 10 times as much as what Jones would be earning at the Stormers over the next three years. It would also make him the highest-paid rugby coach in the world.
When quizzed about the links to the England job at his unveiling at Newlands last Thursday, Jones said: “Never believe the papers mate, never believe them!
“When I woke up this morning, I looked up at Table Mountain. I’m here.”
Jones’ close friend and ex-Springbok coach Jake White is also tipped for the England job.
Reports coming out of France, where White is coaching Top 14 side Montpellier, claim that the 2007 World Cup-winner has already been in contact with the RFU. White apparently also has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the French side to coach a Tier One rugby nation.
Wakefield, though, says they have no reason to think that Jones will dump them, after the veteran coach assured WP that he planned to honour his obligations in Cape Town.
“Eddie made it clear that he is not available for the England job. He says he is not interested in the job and there is no reason for us to doubt him,” Wakefield said yesterday.
The Stormers began their pre-season preparations on Monday with medical tests, before they get cracking with their fitness and field work later this week.
Wakefield said Jones arrived very early at the WP High Performance Centre in Bellville on Monday, met the players and conducted various meetings throughout the day.
“Eddie is going full steam ahead with the preparations,” Wakefield said. “He had a long day on Monday, and had a lot of meetings to get the ball rolling for the start of the season. I think he sees it as a great challenge.”
Wakefield said the players were excited to start working with the former Brumbies coach, who had a fantastic World Cup with Japan.
The Australian’s Brave Blossoms won three pool matches, which included a shock win over the Boks in their opening match.
“Some of the players I spoke to on Monday were really eager to get going and start working with Eddie,” Wakefield said. “They see it as a start of a new era, to work with an international coach who has proven that he has got the quality.
They are excited to learn from a coach who is technically good. So, we are quite positive about the future.”
The Stormers start their campaign in 2016 with a blockbuster Super Rugby clash against the Bulls at Newlands on February 27.
STORMERS FIXTURES
February 27: Bulls (H)
March 5: Cheetahs (A)
March 12: Sharks (H)
March 19: Brumbies (H)
March 26: Argentina side (A)
April 9: Japan side (H)
April 16: Lions (A)
April 23: Reds (H)
April 30: Waratahs (H)
May 14: Japanese team (A)
May 21: Bulls (A)
May 28: Cheetahs (H)
July 2: Rebels (A)
July 9: Force (A)
July 16: Kings (H)
Qualifiers: July 22-23
Semi-finals: July 29-30
Final: August 6 - Cape Times