I'm glad Eddie's got the job...who else was there?

THERE were not too many alternatives open to the RFU when it came to reappointing Eddie Jones as England coach through to the 2023 World Cup.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

The first reason is that Jones’ overall track record speaks volumes about his ability to run successful teams, and the second is that he was in a very strong position, because he had already been guaranteed a two-year extension provided he reached the knock-out stage of the 2019 World Cup.

It meant that when it came to England finishing the tournament as beaten finalists Jones was in a powerful negotiating position – a bit like the tail wagging the dog – especially as most of his rivals had signed contracts for new posts already.

With Steve Hansen going to club rugby in Japan and Warren Gatland returning to New Zealand and also coaching the 2021 Lions, and almost every other top-ranked coach holding signed and sealed contracts, even if the RFU had wanted to go elsewhere, there was not a lot of choice.

The perception of the best Premiership contenders is almost always those at the top of the league, but Exeter’s Rob Baxter and Saracens’ Mark McCall have said regularly that they are happy with the journey they are on – and that’s understandable, because the move to international rugby is a huge transition.

It is the modern way that 12 months before coach and player contracts end they are already negotiating new deals because, rightly, they want a degree of certainty about their futures.

It still strikes me as strange that the RFU did not offer Jones a further four-year contract immediately after the World Cup, but at least we know now that he will be in charge until 2023.

This means that anyone with any aspirations to coach England after him will hope to have the contract done and dusted by the end of 2022, because Jones will not continue beyond the next World Cup.