John Mitchell, England’s defence coach, has been handed a two-year extension to his contract by the Rugby Football Union, putting the New Zealander in a strong position to succeed Eddie Jones as national head coach.

The extension, which is expected to be confirmed by the RFU on Thursday, represents the first move by Bill Sweeney, the new chief executive, to address England’s coaching succession plan.

Mitchell, who applied for the England job in 2015 before Jones was appointed, was initially regarded as a short-term hire when the RFU paid £200,000 to buy him out of his contract with the Blue Bulls last September, with his contract due to expire at the end of the World Cup in November.

However, the decision by Sweeney to extend the 55-year-old former All Blacks head coach’s contract ahead of the World Cup in Japan suggests that the RFU has earmarked him as a potential successor to Jones, whose contract runs to 2021, with a break clause should England fail to reach the semi-finals.

Sources suggest the move is also part of a plan to take the spotlight away from England’s coaching succession plan in the build-up to the World Cup by underscoring the sense that Jones is now more likely to stay on, at least until 2021, following speculation the Australian could step down in November.

Jones' contract runs until 2021 with a break clause should England fail to reach the World Cup semi-finals credit: PA

Mitchell was first appointed as defence coach following Paul Gustard’s decision to become head of rugby at Harlequins and he has been praised for the impact he has made, despite remaining based in South Africa.

Jones was attracted to Mitchell’s wealth of experience in senior coaching positions, including as forwards coach with Sir Clive Woodward’s England team between 1997 and 2000 and as head coach of the All Blacks from 2001 to 2003.

With Warren Gatland, who was identified as the RFU’s leading contender back in February, now ruling himself out of contention to succeed Jones, Mitchell will have the advantage of already being in place should the Australian chose to move on.

It is thought that Mitchell’s contract extension contains a similar break clause to that of Jones, to ensure that the RFU does not face making substantial payouts as it did after the World Cup four years ago, when Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team were let go in the wake of the pool-stage exit.

Mitchell indicated in February for the first time that he would be interested in remaining in a coaching position with England beyond the World Cup this year.

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Steve Borthwick, England’s forwards coach, is already on a rolling staff contract with the RFU.

Mitchell was first appointed as England’s defence coach following Paul Gustard’s decision to become head of rugby at Harlequins and he lauded for the impact he has made, despite remaining based in South Africa.

Jones was attracted to Mitchell’s wealth of experience in senior coaching positions, including forwards coach with Sir Clive Woodward’s England team between 1997 and 2000 and the head coach of the All Blacks between 2001 to 2003.

With Warren Gatland, who was identified as the RFU’s leading contender back in February, now ruling himself out of contention to succeed Jones, Mitchell will also have the advantage of already being in place should the Australian chose to move on.