Eddie Jones, former Australia and Japan rugby coach, has emerged as a leading contender to take over the vacant England job, with bookmakers slashing his odds after Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika ruled himself out of the running.
Both the Times and Daily Telegraph reported a dramatic drop in Jones's odds of replacing Stuart Lancaster following several significant wagers in the 24-hour period since Cheika said on Monday that he was not interested in England as he was living the dream as “an Australian coaching Australia”.
Ian Ritchie, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive, said last week that England would seek to replace Lancaster with “proven international experience” and Jones is one of the few elite coaches in world rugby who comfortably fits the bill.
He led Japan to their best-ever World Cup showing in England, where they managed three victories, including a 34-32 win over the Springboks and also coached the Wallabies to the World Cup final in 2003.
Jones, who recently took charge of South African Super Rugby side the Stormers, ruled himself out of the England job last week when he arrived in Cape Town.
South African Jake White, who led the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, was the early favourite among bookmakers for a job that media reports claim carries an annual salary of 500,000 pounds ($758,700). – Reuters