England head coach, Eddie Jones, has intimated for the first time that he may be open to persuasion about staying on beyond the end of his current contract in 2019. The Australian, as he named seven uncapped players in a 37-man training squad for a three day training camp in Brighton on Sunday, raised the possibility that he might stay on post the World Cup in Japan were he to be as successful with the national team through to that point as he has been since taking over 11 months ago with a perfect return from his nine matches in charge.

“If we do well, there will be a discussion (with the RFU) and that will take place after we do well,” said Jones who had insisted that the only thing he would be doing at the end of his four year stint would be to head into retirement ‘to watch cricket in Barbados.’

The 56 year old is well aware of the fickleness of the job.