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England head coach Eddie Jones is close to signing an eight-year deal with the United States after his current contract expires at the end of the Rugby World Cup.
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Reports in The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday say USA Rugby are hoping to recruit the Australian until the 2031 World Cup on home soil. This is despite filing for bankruptcy only two years ago. They have also failed to reach the upcoming World Cup in France after drawing with Portugal on Friday in the in the last match of the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai.
USA Rugby face stiff competition from Georgia to sign the two-time World Cup finalist, however, according to the Herald. Jones of course has an impressive record with tier two nations having masterminded the ‘Miracle in Brighton’ in the 2015 World Cup when Japan defeated South Africa. Jones built the foundations for further success under Jamie Joseph, as the Brave Blossoms reached the quarter-finals of their own World Cup four years later.
These reports cool any speculation that Jones might be returning to Australia following his eight-year tenure with England, be it with Rugby Australia or with a code switch to coach the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, which he flirted with when England toured Australia in July.
Meanwhile, the search for Jones’ successor at the helm of England continues, with Crusaders coach Scott Robertson emerging as a frontrunner. England will have to fend off competition from the All Blacks for the former All Black’s signature though.
For now Jones is unlikely to become embroiled in this speculation as he still has another year left with England with a lot of rugby left to be played. His attention will be firmly on South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday, which will be the final game of 2022 for both sides.
